Kovač: "The confirmation of the quality work in Croatia"

Marcelo Brozović is only a medical away from signing for Italian giants Inter, where he should join his compatriot Mateo Kovačić.

"Inter's decision to buy Kovačić is a confirmation of his quality and a consequence of hard work and his development in the last couple of years. I was convinced of his abilities in the Croatia U-21, and that is why we have taken him to the World Cup as well. That is why he will become an Inter player, he deserved it and I congratulate him", said Croatia head coach Niko Kovač.

Inter will thus have two Croatian midfielders, which is a positive aspect for Kovač:

"Kovačić can surely help Brozović when adapting to a new club and a new league, a both will benefit from playing together at Inter and Croatia. They are both talented and hard-working young men, bound for great success on club and international level".

Ivan Strinić (Napoli) and Duje Čop (Cagliari) also moved to Serie A this winter.

"With their first appearances they have proved that they can contribute, and I congratulate Čop for his first goal. Italian league requires a lot of concentration and tactical discipline, and I have no doubt that quality matches and strong duels will help Čop and Strinić, as well as our other players in Italy, in their football development. I am also glad for Tin Jedvaj, who has very quickly impressed the Bayer Leverkusen management and signed a long-term contract".

This winter's transfers have once again proved that Croatian top tier is a real source of football talent, concludes Kovač:

"Kramarić, Brozović and Čop - and maybe there will be more - are a confirmation of quality work of Croatian clubs and their coaches in relatively humble conditions. We have be proven right in our national team coaching staff, when giving a chance to a considerable number of players from Croatian league. They have shown that they are ready to play at a high level. Even though they are awaiting a lot of hard work, and even though they may not be league stars as they were in Croatia, I consider this a positive development for Croatian national team. They can only improve, I congratulate them and wish them health, to be able to show their undoubted quality".

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