Andrija Balic

Andrija Balic

Country: Croatia

Date of birth: 11/08/1997 (17 years old)

Place of birth: Split (Croatia)

Height: 180cm

Youth career: NK Dugopolje, Hajduk Split (since 2007)

Current club: Hajduk Split

Squad number: 10

Current national team: Croatia U-19

Position: defensive midfielder, centre midfielder, attacking midfielder

Preferred foot: right

Market value (by transfermarkt.de): 100,000 €

Tournaments participated in: —

Contract until: 06.01.2017

Player’s agent: unknown

Similar type of player: Luka Modric

Strengths:

– passing

– vision

– creativity

– through balls

– pace

– acceleration

– ball control

– technique

– intelligence

Style of play:

– playmaker/number “8”

– likes to play short passes

– likes to play through balls

– dictates tempo

– often uses his creativity to set up goals for other players

– player is very good in combination play

– often makes defense splitting passes

– receptive to new coaching methods and techniques

He is best suited to playing as:

Centre midfielder in 4-2-3-1.

Video:

Achievements:

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League summary:

1. HNL 2013/2014: 2 matches/0 goals (Hajduk Split)

1. HNL 2014/2015 (ongoing): 2 matches/0 goals (Hajduk Split)

Description:

Andrija Balic started to train football at the local NK Dugopolje, before moving to the HNK Hajduk Split youth academy in 2007 at the age of 10. Passing through the ranks, he became a youth international, playing for all Croatian selections between U14 and U19. In the 2013/2014 season he formed a potent midfield partnership for Hajduk U17 team with another extremely talented “Bijeli” homegrown player Nikola Vlašić, which resulted their team finishing first half of the season in the first place, without a single loss. The two then received and signed professional contracts, and were moved to the U19 team. Balic made his first team debut on 13 April 2014 in the 1-0 home win against RNK Split, coming in the 75th minute of the match for Temurkhuja Abdukholiqov. He is already attracting interest from top European clubs, including Tottenham, Ajax and Borussia Dortmund.

Quotes:

“Balic is a 16-year-old defensive midfielder who is predominantly right-footed. He is the latest in an increasingly long line of young talents being produced by Hadjuk Split, following in the footsteps of the likes of Chelsea-bound Mario Pasalic.”

(hereisthecity.com)

Football Talent Scout potential rating:

9/10