Croatia 2026 World Cup star attracting interest from Manchester United
Image Credits: Imago Images
England opened their World Cup campaign with a 4-2 win over Croatia in a chaotic Group L tie in Dallas on Wednesday.
Harry Kane led the way with two goals, first with a penalty that he was made to take twice, the original strike ordered to be retaken for an infringement, before his second, a header from Declan Rice’s corner, equalled Gary Lineker’s England record of 10 World Cup goals.
Jude Bellingham drove in a third early in the second half and Marcus Rashford completed the scoring late on.
Croatia twice levelled before the break, and the first of those equalisers was the moment of the night.
It came from Martin Baturina, who, picked out by Petar Sucic on the edge of the box, curled a first-time finish past Jordan Pickford to make it 1-1 and announce himself on the World Cup stage.
According to Sky Sport Italia, that form has sharpened Premier League interest, with Manchester United and Aston Villa both monitoring the Croatia international ahead of the summer window.
Martin Baturina and Manchester United’s interest
Baturina joined Como from Dinamo Zagreb last July for a club-record fee of around £14.7 million (€17 million), signing a five-year deal under Cesc Fabregas that runs until 2030.
A product of the Dinamo academy and the son of former Croatia international Mate Baturina, he has long been compared to Luka Modric for his ability to find space and thread a pass.
Having scored six goals and grabbed three assists in Serie A this season, he’s been key to Fabregas’ squad, and Como are under no pressure to sell.
Already the Italian side have rejected a £43.3 million (€50 million) offer earlier in the year and reportedly are holding out for closer to £69.4 million (€80 million).
Whether that fits United’s plans is the question. Baturina is an attacking midfielder, a creator rather than the holding presence the club has prioritised as it weighs life after Casemiro.
He would not solve the engine-room problem alone, and £69.4 million for a player off a single standout night looks steep.
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