Manchester City To Sign Ante Palaversa

Manchester City would appear to have made another signing of a young player if press reports can be believed.

A variety of articles in the International Press suggest Manchester City have bought eighteen year old midfielder Ante Palaversa from Hadjuk Split. Apparently Palaversa has been secured for a sum of around £7 million but will be loaned back to Hadjuk Split for the remainder of the season to continue his development. One Press report even suggests that loan could be extended for a further year.

Palaversa is a Croatian player who would appear to be a versatile midfielder. He has played seventeen games in all competitions so far this season and has scored two goals. But these statistics do not tell the whole story regarding his versatility. He has operated across a variety of roles whilst on the pitch, making 6 starts in attacking midfield, 4 in defensive midfield and 2 in a central midfield role.

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Guardiola as we all know is a keen admirer of the role of the midfielder and likes to move players into a variety of positions so Palaversa would appear to fit the bill for the kind of player who may thrive in our playing systems. His apparent skill set and low cost have marked him out as an asset who could develop his potential in the coming years, making him a worthwhile investment.

During his matches so far this season, Palaversa has achieved an 85% passing accuracy level which also would appear to be a basic prerequisite for a Pep Guardiola side.

Whilst it is only this season that Palaversa has established himself as a first team regular he has played for the Croatian National Youth Team for a number of years. Since making his debut for the Croatian Under 19 Team in November 2017 he has played 11 times and scored 3 goals.

His relative lack of minutes on the pitch so far in his career probably underpins his low cost. He has clearly been signed by City as a potential one for the future and is unlikely to feature in the first team anytime soon. It may be too soon to think of him as a potential replacement for Fernandinho but he is certainly a player worth keeping a close eye upon during the coming year.