Dalic expecting big things out ofNiko Katic

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Croatia boss Zlatko Dalic says that he will keep a place open for Rangers defender Niko Katic at Euro 2020. The 23-year-old defender is set for a long spell on the sidelines due to a cruciate ligament injury that he picked up in training last week. This is a major blow for a player who has been regarded as a key part of the Croatian national team by managerDalic. In fact, the 23-year-old is also held in high regard by strangers manager Steven Gerrard, who sanctioned a £ 1.3 million deal to get him from Slaven Belupo in 2018.

Even during lockdown,Niko Katic has been working extremely hard in order to make sure that he reaches the best possible condition for Croatia and Rangers. The latter are desperate to make sure that Celtic do not pick up 10 successive league titles. Meanwhile, Croatia are getting ready for the European Championship tournament that has been forced forward by an additional year due to the coronavirus pandemic. This gives teams time and space to make sure that players likeNiko Katic get back to their best shape.Dalic expectsKatic to be a key player for the Rangers team in the forthcoming season. Since making his debut for Croatia in 2017,Katic has featured in just one game. Read more “Dalic expecting big things out ofNiko Katic”

Ivan Rakitic dismisses speculation of Barcelona exit

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Croatia international Ivan Rakitic has stressed that he is clearly happy at Barcelona and has no plans of heading through the exit door during the summer. The 32-year-old’s role with the Blaugrana has reduced with the arrival of Frenkie de Jong last summer and he has made only 13 starts in the league and European games combined this season.


As a result, there has been the speculation that he could head through the exit door but that does not appear the case. Speaking to Sky Sport Germany, Rakitic insisted that he has no concerns over his current treatment at the club and he plans to see out the remainder of his contract which expires in June 2021.
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Ivan Rakitic suggests he would like to play alongside Ronaldo

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Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic has sparked speculation regarding his future after suggesting he would like to play alongside Cristiano Ronald at Juventus. The Croatian has been in-and-out of the starting lineup for the Blaugrana this term and his situation has not improved despite the recent change in the head coach.


As a result, he has been fancied to leave the Camp Nou in the quest for regular gametime and a move to Turin could be a possibility in the summer. In an interview with Bleacher Report, the 2018 World Cup finalist said that Miralem Pjanic is the most underrated player in the world and added that he would like to play alongside Ronaldo.
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England manager looking forward to Croatia test at Euro 2020

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England manager Gareth Southgate is looking forward to another contest with Croatia at the European Championships next summer. The Three Lions faced Croatia at the semi-final stage of the World Cup last year where they succumbed to a 2-1 defeat after Mario Mandzukic scored in added extra time for Zlatko Dalic’s side.


Since then, the Three Lions have fared better with a 0-0 draw and a 2-1 triumph in the Nations League against Croatia and Southgate is expecting another tight game between the sides. Speaking to reporters, Southgate said that the Three Lions won’t have an easy task on their hands, comparing the quality and experience within the ranks of Croatia.
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ESPN pundit believes Mandzukic would be a quality signing for United

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ESPN pundit Shaka Hislop believes Mario Mandzukic would prove a quality signing for Manchester United this winter. The former Croatia international was heavily touted to join the Red Devils last summer but a deal did not materialise before the deadline after the Bianconeri were reluctant to reduce their £14m asking price.


Mandzukic has since failed to earn a single minute of playing time with the Bianconeri and it is quite clear that he would be offloaded when the transfer window reopens. Speaking on ESPN FC, Hislop said that Mandzukic may prove a quality stopgap option for the Red Devils upfront but believes Marcus Rashford will be the ideal candidate for the long-term.
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Bayern Munich on course to sign Croatian winger from Inter Milan

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Bayern Munich are reportedly close to landing the signature of Ivan Perisic from Inter Milan after their lengthy pursuit of Leroy Sane ended. Sane was widely touted to make the move to the Bavarian giants before the transfer deadline in Germany and reports even indicated that Bayern could be prepared to break their transfer record to land the former Schalke 04 graduate.

However, that appears unlikely after the attacker suffered an anterior cruciate ligament damage during the recent Community Shield clash for Manchester City against Liverpool, which has ruled him out for the next six months at the least. According to Bild, the German champions have decided against continuing their interest in the Germany international, considering they are eager to pursue a wide player, who can make an instant impact with the team.
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Aldridgesuggests Dejan Lovren may need to leave the Reds this summer

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Liverpool legend John Aldridge believes it won’t be a surprise, should Dejan Lovren part ways with the club during the summer transfer window. The Croatia international has improved drastically under the guidance of manager Jurgen Klopp but he has recently found himself dropping down the pecking order for the central defensive position.

In a report covered by The Star, Aldridge said that Lovren no longer has the command for a starting role at Anfield with Joel Matip and Joe Gomez fighting for the second central defensive position alongside Virgil van Dijk, he said: “It would not be a surprise to me to see Dejan Lovren leaving Liverpool this summer. He has certainly improved under the guidance of Jurgen Klopp and his coaching staff, while the presence of Virgil van Dijk alongside him has made a huge difference. I don’t think he is anywhere near as good as he thinks he is and Klopp clearly agrees, as he favoured Joel Matip ahead of Lovren for most of last season and young Joe Gomez is also waiting in the wings as a potential partner for Van Dijk.”
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Rakitic has no plans of parting ways with Barcelona this summer

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Croatia international Ivan Rakitic has indicated that he has no plans of parting ways with Barcelona during this summer’s transfer window. The midfielder has been heavily tipped to make a move to Inter Milan ahead of next season but the 31-year-old has stressed that he is committed to the cause at the Catalan giants.

In an interview with Sky Sport, Rakitic said that he wants to stay put with the Catalan giants for the long-term and he would prefer another new deal to extend his contract beyond the summer of 2021, he said: “I want nothing but Barcelona. I don’t want to go anywhere else. I hope the club, the president, the coach and the fans see it like me and I hope the time comes when they will tell me that I will stay here for another three years. I wish I could say that I already have another three years of contract and that I will stay here, but in football anything can happen.”
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Mario Mandzukic agrees contract extension with Juventus

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Juventus have reportedly agreed on a contract extension with Mario Mandzukic to keep him in Turin until the summer of 2021. The Croatian’s previous deal with the Bianconeri was due to expire in 15 months’ time but the club have rewarded him with a fresh renewal amid his importance to the first-team squad.

According to Gazzetta dello Sport, the 32-year-old had the option of pursuing a fresh challenge in the Chinese Super League where an unnamed club was willing to offer him with a 100 percent increase on his current wages. However, the marksman has decided to snub the big-money move to commit his future to the Turin giants until the 2020/21 season.
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Croatia FA Boss Re-elected to UEFA executive committee

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UEFA recently conducted its 43rd Congress which was held in Rome and several positions were up for election in the Congress. Croatia Football Association president Davor Suker successfully retained his position in the UEFA Executive Committee.

The 51-year-old joins Jesper Moller Christensen, Armand Duka, Florence Hardouin, Sandor Csanyi, Luis Rubiales, Fernando Gomes, and Andriy Pavelko as members of the UEFA Executive Committee.
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