Dumped by Barca and now Hamburg, what has happened to Alen Halilovic, the 'New Modric'?
What the heck has happened to Alen Halilovic?
Signed in March 2015 by Barcelona, the youngest-ever Dinamo Zagreb player to score a league goal back at home (a record previously held by Mateo Kovacic) has yet to play a full game for current club Hamburg, with whom he signed this summer for 5 million.
And yet, the best he’s managed this season is the only start he’s earned, playing a half behind the strikers against Eintracht, before being subbed off for Bobby Wood.
And yet, Halilovic seems to have begun well wherever he’s been: debuting for his country at age 16, his move to Barcelona saw him net 4 goals in 30 appearances with the reserves, where he signed a five-year deal worth 10 million in total.
Sent on loan to Sporting Gijon, where he was expected to bloom, the 20-year-old bagged three Liga goals in his first season, including a brace against Betis and the winner against Malaga.
And yet, he would never play for Barcelona’s A team, being sent to Hamburg last summer instead. He netted in the cup against Zwickau in late August, banging in the winner after coming on on 67 minutes. And yet, Coach Markus Gisdol doesn’t seem to believe in him, nor did Barca.
Now, the Bild speculate that HSV will dump the young Croatian in January, and move to either Sporting again, or Valencia.
It’s been quite the rollercoaster for Halilovic, and we can only hope that his future has more climbs than drops.
