Balkan Youth: Teenage Madness!
We are seemingly entrering a new age in football business, where a trend to investing huge sums for teenagers becomes a common practice among the European top clubs. Now we are witnessing a growing transfer market interest in talented teenage boys from the Balkans. Here are some of the "Balkan Superboys", which were mentioned in the media headlines recently.
Nikon Jevtic (13) - (SRB) - Schalke 04
Perhaps one of the most interesting youth players with a Balkan background is 13 year old Nikon Jevtic. Like the Serbo-Spanish Bojan Krkic, he is considered as a football "wunderkind". FC Schalke 04 signed one of the most desired teenagers of world-soccer this summer.
Ante Rukavina (20) - (CRO) - HNK Sibenik
HNK Sibenik's striker has caught the attention of many scouts and managers this fall, and so far he scored eight goals in seventeen league appearances in the Croatian First League. His great goal-scoring skills and talent have been even confirmed by the former Yugoslav international striker Josip Skoblar who's now a leading scout in France. Skoblar's influence and good judgment might help this 20-year-old move to Olympique Lyon whose officials have already made contact with Sibenik management. However, despite rumours of moves to Portugal, England or France as well as Croatian giants Hajduk and NK Dinamo Zagreb, Rukavina insists he will not be rushed into leaving Šibenik.
Goran Slavkovski (17) (MAC) - Inter Milan
Swedish-born soccer prodigy Goran Slavkovski is raising heads all over Europe, already earning the nickname “Ibrahimovic the Second.” Born April 8, 1989, in Skravlinge, Sweden, the 17-year old Slavkovski shares much in common with Serie A’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Both players began their careers with Swedish side Malmo FF, and before that Rosengard club FBK Balkan, and both players have family origins in the former Yugoslavia. But this is just the tip of the iceberg as Slavkovski, like his childhood role model Ibrahimovic, currently finds himself at Italy’s FC Internazionale Milano, hoping to further develop the goal-scoring prowess he has shown thus far. Over the past few weeks, reports from Old Trafford were indicating that Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson will be making a lucrative bid for Internazionales young frontman.
Stevan Jovetic (17) (MNE) - FK Partizan
Jovetic was born on 2nd November 1989 in Podgorica and previously said in an interview for the Serbian daily "Danas", that he will play for his native country Montenegro. "I have the wish and duty to wear the dress of Montenegro", the youngster declared openly. 17 year old Jovetic had a couple of excellent appearences for Partizan this season, where he also scored two goals in the Serbian Cup and League. German 2nd Bundesliga side 1.FC Köln has made definite offers of around 2.5 Million Euros for the promising youngster, but it is also rumoured that he had offers from clubs such as Juventus, Real Madrid and FC Chelsea.
Miralem Sulejmani (18) (SRB) - Herenveen
Dutch Eredivisie club Heerenveen have signed former Partizan player Miralem Sulejmani today after negotiations between AZ Alkmaar and the midfielder broke down. The 18-year-old was a free agent after leaving Partizan and had been on trail at AZ with a view to a permanent move, but the two parties could not agree a deal. Heerenveen duly swooped to sign Sulejmani on a three-and-a-half year contract, which starts in January 2007. The versatile attacking midfielder is rated as a major talent in Serbia, having made his first-team debut last season. Sulejmani is also a Serbian U21 selection player, who just recently made it into Miroslav Djukic's squad.