Brighton have reportedly ‘made checks’ on Croatian star Toni Fruk, as they look to bolster their attacking ranks ahead of their European push. However, they are not alone in their admiration of the playmaker.
The 24-year-old attacking midfielder has been a standout at HNK Rijeka this season, with 11 goals and two assists in 27 games, including a hat-trick against nine-time Croatian champions Hajduk Split.
The No.10 has also received five national team caps this year and scored a crucial goal against Gibraltar to help his country qualify for the World Cup.
According to Football.London, the Seagulls, as well as Everton, have made ‘routine exploratory checks’ on Fruk, but it’s too early to tell if those checks will advance any further. The Albion and the Toffees are the only Premier League clubs, so far, to register an interest.
It’s also said that the midfielder’s representative, Andy Bara, met with interested outfits in London as recently as last Monday and Tuesday, but it has not been made clear if either of the Premier League sides were involved in those talks.
The Croatian was recently linked to Premier League leaders Arsenal, but sources close to the club played down those claims, stating that the Gunners have held no talks with or about Fruk.
The player’s agent, who also represents Barcelona duo Dani Olmo and Joan Garcia, stated that the links with Arsenal had been manufactured due to him recently making a business trip to the English capital.
Brighton have had a few injury concerns in the attacking areas this season, with Kaoru Mitoma, Tommy Watson, and Brajan Gruda all just coming back from weeks on the sideline, whilst Stefanos Tzimas has also ruled out for the rest of the season with an ACL rupture.
Therefore, it would be no surprise to see another attacker brought to the Sussex coast next month to provide an alternative option in the final third.