Martin Baturina has dealt a blow to Real Madrid’s prospects of signing him, with the 21-year-old highly-rated Croatian playmaker rejecting Los Blancos’ contract offer.
According to a report by Sky Sport Deutschland, Martin Baturina is the subject of interest from Real Madrid. The reigning La Liga champions are keen on signing the highly-rated Dinamo Zagreb playmaker and offered him a five-year contract. However, the 21-year-old has turned down the proposal, as he wants to join a Bundesliga club when he leaves the Croatian Football League champions.
Martin Baturina and his burgeoning reputation
Martin Baturina has emerged as the latest highly-rated prospect to rise in prominence in his homeland. The country’s latest generation has piqued the attention of European bigwigs, with Luka Vuskovic and Josko Gvardiol already securing moves to high-profile clubs. Baturina might be the latest Croat to move to the big leagues.
The 21-year-old is a native of Split and spent most of his formative years in his hometown. However, Baturina graduated from the youth division at Dinamo Zagreb and has been a regular in the middle of the park for the Croatian Football League champions for some time.
The youngster has enjoyed a solid 2024/25 season thus far, chipping in with two goals and seven assists in 15 appearances across all competitions. Meanwhile, the Croatian playmaker’s progress has not gone unnoticed, capturing the attention of several high-profile clubs across Europe.
Real Madrid want Baturina
Recent reports have linked Martin Baturina with European bigwigs like Manchester United and Real Madrid. The latest update has suggested that the Croat has been a serious target for Real Madrid, with Los Blancos offering the highly-rated playmaker a five-year contract.
However, Baturina has knocked back Real Madrid’s offer, as he wants to join a Bundesliga club when he leaves Dinamo Zagreb. Luka Modric is a keen admirer of his compatriot’s talent, and he pushed the reigning La Liga champions to take him to the Santiago Bernabeu. However, Modric will not reunite with Baturina at Real Madrid.
With the 21-year-old Croatian international turning down Real Madrid’s contract offer, it will be interesting to see who becomes the Merengues’ next target. Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala also feature on Los Blancos’ radar, and either German midfielder might easily jump to the top of the Spanish club’s wishlist.
