Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is said to be pursuing Dinamo Zagreb midfielder Ante Coric.
Coric has established himself as a key member of the Dinamo midfield, making 28 appearances in the Prva HNL in 2015/16, after making his debut for the club in 2014.
At just 19, Coric is one of Croatia’s finest young talents, and was awarded the Croatian Hope of the Year last year.
Now, Coric is believed to have garnered the interest of Klopp, who is looking to add the attacking midfielder to his Liverpool squad this summer, in an £11.5 million deal.
This is according to Croatian publication Sportske Novosti, who claim Klopp has contacted Coric and is pushing for a meeting with the youngster.
Coric is said to be attracting a number of top European clubs this summer, including Tottenham Hotspur and Man City, but Liverpool are leading the race to secure his signature.
The former Red Bull Salzburg youth is reportedly “at the top of the list of signings for next season,” and Klopp would look to use a fellow Croatian, Dejan Lovren, to ease Coric’s transition into life at Liverpool.
Coric is a versatile attacking midfielder most comfortable in the No. 10 role, but also able to operate on either wing and in a deeper position in midfield.
At just under 5’8″, Coric may initially struggle to adapt to the Premier League, but as an intelligent, creative talent, he may look to navigate this in much the same way as Philippe Coutinho.
Best picking up the ball from deep and driving at defences with skill and pace, Coric could fit into Klopp’s fast-moving attacking system, though he would need to improve on his defensive contribution.
With 80 senior appearances to his name at the age of 19, however, Klopp would be acquiring an experienced young player in Coric, and could look to mould his talents to fit his vision.
With Marko Grujic arriving this summer and Liverpool already having a plethora of midfielders among their ranks, the question is whether they really need yet another young midfielder?
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