Last summer, the little country of Croatia achieved the incredible and made it to the World Cup final.
It’s a pretty special achievement for a nation which prides itself on sporting accomplishments. And the sportsmen and women who attain them.
When the dust settled on the country’s monumental World Cup run, Rangers were on location mining for talent. The club have invested in three players from the nation’s domestic league, but will it pay off?
Croatian Nikola Katic, 22, joined Rangers from Slaven Bepulo in a reported £1.5m deal. Not long after, the club snapped up countryman Borna Barisic, 26, from NK Osijek. Rangers had faced the side, which Barisic captained, in the Europa League.
He too cost about the same, at least according to Four Lads had a Dream.
The club also signed Eros Grezda, 23, a tricky Albanian winger, from the same outfit. He signed for a reported £2m [Daily Record].
Rangers have invested £5m in Croatian First Football League
That’s an investment of £5m in a domestic league of which the nation has just reached the top of the game. Granted, only one player in the squad came from the league, Dinamo Zagreb goalie Dominik Livaković, but everyone in it had to start somewhere.
For many that was in the Croatian First Football League. The likes of Luka Modric, Mario Mandzukic and Dejan Lovren all started out in Croatian football.
Like any investment, it’s a risk. So far, that investment hasn’t quite returned the outlay. But these are full international players.
Barisic is clearly well thought of in Croatia and is part of their squad for this round of internationals. It would be a surprise if Grezda doesn’t make the Albania National Team this time round either.
Barisic and Grezda have also struggled with injuries since joining Rangers. They need time to settle and to adapt to the game.
Croatia cap Nikola Katic had a superb start to the season and is clearly considered one for the future. Next season is where we’ll see the best of him consistently.
But the key here is to be patient. Rangers have signed three of the brightest talents in the domestic league of recent World Cup finalists.
They could well turn out to be some of the smartest investments the club has made in years.
