http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2073470/Man-City-lead-chase-Sime-Vrsaljko-Mateo-Kovacic.html
Man City lead chase for L25m-rated Croatian starlets Vrsaljko and Kovacic
By Ashley Gray
Last updated at 8:09 AM on 13th December 2011
Manchester
City are leading the race to sign Croatian wonderkids Sime Vrsaljko and
Mateo Kovacic but have been warned they face strong competition for the
L25million-rated pair.
Arsenal retain an interest in the duo
after trying to sign the pair from Dinamo Zagreb last January, when they
were not prepared to pay more than L15m.
Since then their
reputations have been bolstered by solid performances in the Champions
League and at international level, with scouts flocking to watch
17-year-old attacking midfielder Kovacic in particular.
Zdravko
Mamic, the Dinamo executive president whose son Mateo is the players'
agent, was in England for talks about the players last week and is
expected to return this week.
Scouts from Chelsea, Everton,
Tottenham, Bayern Munich, Udinese, Zenit St Petersburg, Borussia
Dortmund, Malaga, Wolfsburg, Spartak Moscow and Dinamo Moscow were all
present in Zagreb on Wednesday for Dinamo's now infamous 7-1 defeat by
Lyon.
Sources in Croatia say 19-year-old right back Vrsaljko is
close to clinching a January move to the Etihad Stadium, but City are
said to be keen to strike a double deal.
Vrsaljko, who can also
play at left back, won his first cap this year and is expected to go to
Euro 2012 despite Croatia having a wealth of established talent in his
position.
Kovacic has generously been compared to Lionel Messi and plays with a similar style to David Silva.
He
has been well known to Europe's elite for many years and is enjoying a
breakthrough season that saw him become Dinamo's youngest captain - at
17 years and 82 days - in August.
Last season he became the youngest debutant in the Croatian league and scored in a 6-0 win aged 16 years and 198 days.