Croatian winger Nikola Vlasic is excited about his move to England and is convinced Everton fans will enjoy his style of play.
If Everton‘s interest in Nikola Vlasic seemed to come out of nowhere, it’s because it did. He wasn’t even on their radar until recently.
Vlasic caught the Blues’ attention, during their Europa League playoff tie against Hajduk Split. As a result of his impressive play over the two legs, Everton decided to take the plunge.
As reported by BBC Sport‘s Phil McNulty, the 19-year-old was signed for a fee of around £10 million, after he was granted leave from Croatia’s Under-21s. His contract is for five years, meaning he will have plenty of time to show what he can do.
While there may be some concerns about how effective Vlasic can be, these doubts are not shared by Ronald Koeman. As per McNulty, the Everton manager said:
"“He is one of the big young talents in Europe. He is one of those players who can play a big part in Everton’s future and in what we want to achieve as a club.”"
One of the things the Blues want to achieve, is a place in the Champions League. As things stand, they have two routes to doing this, via a top four finish in the Premier League and/or winning the Europa League.
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Regardless of how the Toffees reach their goal, Vlasic believes he can help. He is ready for the demands of English football, while adding that the Premier League is the best in the world.
One way the Croatian international will be able to help the Blues, is with his versatility. While often being deployed as a winger, he actually prefers to play in the middle of the park.
Overall, the main thing to note is Vlasic’s confidence in his ability to succeed. As reported by the Daily Star‘s Mike Whalley, he said:
"“I believe in myself and this team, and I believe we can do a lot of great stuff together…I think the fans will enjoy my style of play.”"
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What was your impression of Vlasic during the two legs of Everton’s Europa League tie with Hajduk Split? What kind of impact do you predict he will have in England? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.