Manchester
United and Chelsea are locked in a battle to sign Ivan Perisic - but what
will the Inter Milan winger bring?
According to Sky sources, United are discussing a £36m transfer for the
28-year-old Croatia international, while Sky in Italy report Premier League
champions Chelsea are also interested.
So, with a move to England a distinct possibility, here's all you need to
know about the winger at the centre of a Premier League transfer tussle...
Ivan Perisic - Factfile
Age: 28
Position: Winger
Club: Internazionale
Nationality: Croatian
International caps: 55
International goals: 16
Background
Tracked by a host of clubs in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Turkey
as a 17-year-old, Perisic ended a six-year stint in the youth set-up at
Hajduk Split to move to Sochaux in 2007.
He made 36 appearances for the Ligue 1 club, although his chances of leaving
a lasting impression were curtailed when he was shipped out on loan to
Belgium club Roeselare.
Undeterred, Perisic averaged just short of a goal every two games - form
which earned him his next move to Belgian heavyweights Club Brugge in 2009.
He continued to build his reputation for having a keen eye for goal, hitting
35 goals in 89 games across two seasons, and that prompted Borussia Dortmund
to make their move for the Croatian.
A German affair
Perisic won the first silverware of his career at Signal Iduna Park as
Dortmund retained the Bundesliga title in 2012 and won the DFB-Pokal for
good measure.
However, a breakdown in relations with manager Jurgen Klopp, in which he
accused the German of favouring other players, brought a swift end to his
time at the club and he was offloaded to Wolfsburg in January 2013.
He scored the first two goals in his Wolfsburg career in a thrilling 3-3
draw against Dortmund just five months after his acrimonious departure.
Having forged a burgeoning partnership with compatriot Ivica Olic and new
recruit Kevin de Bruyne, Perisic tasted DFB-Pokal success once more, while
Wolfsburg finished the 2014/15 season as Bundesliga runners-up.
Inter irresistible to Ivan
Perisic started the following season at Wolfsburg, winning the DFL-Supercup
against champions Bayern Munich, but a move to Inter Milan, one he admitted
he could not refuse, soon beckoned and he signed a five-year deal in August
2015.
Perisic's career with the Nerazzurri got off to the perfect start with
victory in the Milan derby on his first outing for the club.
Despite finishing fourth in Serie A in his first season with Inter, the
Croatian's time at the San Siro has aligned with a period of decline for the
Serie A heavyweights, who finished seventh last term and missed out on
Europa league qualification to their cross-city rivals.
And Perisic's own performances have mirrored that decline, with the winger
scoring 19 goals in 77 appearances for Inter.
International career
Having represented his country at U17, U19 and U21-level, Slaven Bilic
handed Perisic his full international debut in a European Championship
qualifying defeat to Georgia in March 2011.
He started Croatia's first two games at Euro 2012 against the Republic of
Ireland and Italy and came off the bench in their final group game as defeat
to eventual champions Spain saw them crash out.
Perisic played a key role in Croatia's progression to the 2014 World Cup,
featuring 12 times in qualification and scoring his first international goal
against Belgium in September 2012.
Goals against Cameroon and Mexico in Brazil underlined Perisic's importance
to his national team, but he was unable to stop a group-stage elimination
for the second successive tournament as Croatia finished third behind hosts
Brazil and Mexico.
Six goals in Euro 2016 qualifying saw Perisic lead Croatia's scoring charts
in the build-up to the tournament, and he picked up from where he left off
in France, scoring in the opening game against Czech Republic and netting
the winner against Spain as Ante Cacic's men exercised some demons from
Poland and Ukraine four years earlier.
In total, Perisic has made 55 appearances for his country, scoring 16 goals
- stats that are bound to increase given the integral role he manfully
fulfils.
Style of play
On arrival in Milan, Perisic admitted he "sacrificed Champions League
football" to join Inter, and it's this selfless, committed-to-the-cause
attitude which has come to typify his game.
While he may not be as prolific in front of goal as he was early on in his
career, he has thrived supplementing his team-mates, noting 16 assists in
two seasons - something that has no doubt caught the eye of Mourinho and
Conte.
A stereotypical winger, capable of carrying out defensive duties, tenacity
and determination are trademarks of Perisic's game, along with an abundance
of pace.
And it's that pace which sets him apart from his peers, lightening pace
which stretches defences and allows him to come into his own in the final
third.
What they say...
Perisic is incredible; he has strength, talent and a knack of scoring. In
modern football, players who can make the difference are extremely valuable.
He confronts the opponent one-on-one, then beats him. He's got technical
quality that gives a tremendous advantage to his team. Perisic can dribble
past three players in one motion.
Croatia legend Davor Suker
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