Arsenal and Manchester City are reportedly hot in pursuit of Dinamo Zagreb wonderkid David Colina and are looking to bring the player to England.
According to Tom Hopkinson of the Daily Mirror, Arsenal and Manchester City are both interested in Dinamo Zagreb wonderkid David Colina. The prodigious left-back is being tailed by the Premier League duo, who are both looking to bring the player to England.
David Colina is another of the latest batch of wonderkids to emerge from Croatia. The player joined Dinamo Zagreb’s youth side from Dragovoljac Jugadores in 2009 and has progressed rapidly to become a staple in the club’s Under-17 side at the present moment.
Along with club football, Colina has become a mainstay in the Croatian Under-17 setup, notching up 23 appearances, with a goal to show for his efforts as well. The player is regarded as one of the most promising youngsters in the continent and is generating interest from Italy, Spain and Germany as well.
Dinamo Zagreb are looking to keep a hold of the talented player but the widespread interest may prove to be a stumbling block. Arsenal and Manchester City both are devoid of quality options – both short-term and long-term – at the left-back position.
Man City and Arsenal are chasing Dinamo Zagreb left-back David Colina (16), considered one of Europe’s most promising youngsters. [Mirror] pic.twitter.com/yQF7ZhYzER
— City Watch (@City_Watch) May 27, 2017
Arsenal have Nacho Monreal and Kieran Gibbs while Cohen Bramall is best seen as a backup. Monreal is starting to age while Gibbs has been unable to stamp his authority in the starting eleven. Manchester City, on the other hand, have already begun rebuilding their squad.
And addition to the full-back positions is their priority. The Citizens have already secured the signing of Bernardo Silva from AS Monaco and are being linked with moves for his former AS Monaco teammate Benjamin Mendy and Tottenham superstar Kyle Walker.
While David Colina cannot prove to be an immediate remedy, the 16-year-old can be a long-term solution for the said position for either club. The left-back has a contract with Zagreb – one that runs till 2018. However, it looks unlikely that the player will be able to honour the contract, with so many clubs circling the talent.
The Premier League duo can also provide a fast track into the first-team setup at their respective clubs, given the current situation at left-back. And by the looks of it, if the clubs do intend to convert their interest into a real offer, we might well be seeing Colina move to England – sooner than expected.