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Introducing the 16-year-old 'Balkan Messi' wanted by Real Madrid & Manchester United

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Melbin

Melbin
Minors

Goal.com
When Paris Saint-Germain take tothe field at the Maksimir Stadium on Wednesday, Dinamo Zagreb supporters will likely be in awe ofthe talent at the disposal of the nouveau-riche French club.
In particular, there will be a vested interest in a certain Zlatan Ibrahimovic, with the Sweden international's Croatian and Bosnian roots well documented.
However, amongst the Dinamo fans there's only one player of Bosnian-Croat descent on their lips at the moment and that's 16-year-old wonderkid, Alen Halilovic. The teenager has only made three substitute appearances - scoring one goal in the process - for the Croatian champions, but already has been touted as the finest Balkan playerof his generation.
His debut off the bench in a 3-1 win over bitter rivals Hajduk Split just under a month ago made him the youngest ever debutant in the Croatian top flight at 16 years and 102 days. Ten days later the attacking midfielder broke another record - this time becoming the league's youngest ever goalscorer after netting with a superb Messi-esque chip in a 4-1 rout of Slaven Belupo.
With his pace, dribbling ability, deadly finishing combined with deceptive strength considering his small frame, the left-footed youngster has unsurprisingly earned comparisons with Lionel Messi.
Likening Halilovic to the Argentine superstar may be a little premature - he's not the only Balkan player in recent yearsto be resembled to the Barcelona attacker. Fiorentina's Stevan Jovetic also earned comparisons to Messi as a 17-year-old and while he is currently fulfilling his potential in Florence, he is doing so as an out-and-out forward.
His club team-mate Adem Ljajic was also likened to the Barca man when he burst onto the scene at Partizan Belgrade yet the Serbian international is only just starting to find his feet in Serie A.

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