Wednesday, 18th December, 2013
Dinamo Zagreb's executive director Zdravko Mamic has confirmed that his club had indeed received a big-money offer to sell forward Alen Halilovic to Tottenham Hotspur in the summer, but claimed the player did not want to head to White Hart Lane.
The hunt for the young starlet is heating up, with his Dinamo Zagreb contract set to expire at the end of the season, something which will smooth the path for an exit from Croatia, which Halilovic has admitted, his father has told him he must make.
The 17-year-old, who is most at home operating in the hole behind a central striker, was thought to be a done and dusted Tottenham capture in the summer. But the move did not materialise.
And now Dinamo Zagreb executive director Zdravko Mamic has confirmed Spurs did make a bid for the youngster.
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He said at the club's general meeting, via Croatia Week: "I have the original contracts between Dinamo and Tottenham where the club would have received €13m, and the player €6m, but he was not ready for that step."
Mamic also went on to claim that Dinamo Zagreb have rejected a bid from Barcelona for Halilovic, while Zoran Mamic, the club's current coach, has been talking to Inter and Bayern Munich about the starlet.
"Here also is a written offer from FC Barcelona for €15m, depending on Alen’s appearances, which we refused, and in the last six months, Zoran has been negotiating with Bayern and Inter about Alen."
Zdravko went on to explain that he did not want to make offers on the table public, but felt it was the correct course of action.
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