Liverpool are interested in signing teenage midfielder Luka Sucic from Red Bull Salzburg.
That’s according to Sport Bild as transcribed by Milan News. Liverpool are reportedly ready to rival AC Milan for the Croatian youngster.
According to Bild, the 19-year-old, who scored a brace in Salzburg’s game on Sunday, is considered Luka Modric’s heir in Croatia.
Milan have reportedly been tracking the youngster since November. That could now be immaterial as Liverpool ‘open the challenge’ to the Italian club in the race for Sucic.
Who is Luka Sucic
Both in terms of physicality and style of play, Sucic doesn’t resemble Modric too much at all. Standing over six feet tall, he is a much more physical presence than the Real Madrid legend.
Sucic also looks like more of a box-to-box midfielder than the Ballon d’Or winner. At just nineteen, he may adjust his playing style in the years to come. However, he looks to to be more of a ball carrying midfielder and also has a good eye for goal.
His two goals on Sunday mean he now has five in 22 Bundesliga appearances this season. Sucic also scored from the penalty spot in Salzburg’s Champions League group-stage draw with Sevilla earlier this season.
As such a young player, great faith was given to Sucic to take such an important penalty. Although he did go on to miss another as the game finished 1-1.
International recognition
Having played through the youth groups for his country, Sucic was given a first senior call-up in October last year.
The teenager made his debut against Slovakia and was subsequently called into his nation’s following squad, too.
Whenever Liverpool are linked with a young player from Salzburg, it’s well worth running the rule over them. The Reds have profited from the Austrian club’s exemplary record of youth development in the past.
All of Naby Keita, Sadio Mane and Takumi Minamino spent significant time at the club in the past decade. Perhaps Liverpool could use the relationships formed over those deals to get ahead in the battle to land the next talent off their conveyor belt.