Before the World Cup, there weren’t claims of a huge transfer for Ante Rebic.
Everything since is therefore based on what happened in Russia.
Rebic has been on loan at Frankfurt for two seasons. Unable to impress at Fiorentina, it was the footballer’s third loan move, after Hellas Verona and RB Leipzig.
This summer Frankfurt used their purchase option to sign the player (around €2-4m depending on which report) and will have been looking forward to the 24 year old further improving.
Two goals and a Man of the Match performance against Bayern Munich in the cup final had been a career highlight and something to build on after the player’s six Bundesliga goals. In that match he played off centre to the left, but had been upfront for most of the season.
If Manchester United, or anyone else, had wanted the signing before the World Cup then they’d have likely been looking at no more than €20-30m.
Then came the goal against Argentina. That changed everything.
Rumours started, mainly with Tottenham Hotspur, and in Croatia Manchester United were thrown in.
The German media have also been pushing Jose Mourinho’s side forward for several weeks and then inevitably the English media followed.
This week’s edition of SportBild reports the Old Trafford club are looking at signings so they can rival Manchester City. Pep Guardiola’s side were far and away the best team in the Premier League last season and Mourinho needs to catch up.
It’s stated Rebic is a ‘hot candidate’ and that contact has been initiated with the player’s advisors. There’s no official offer and Tottenham and Arsenal are also said to be interested.
Sport Bild then add: ‘However, if Mourinho and the British do not hurry, it could be too late, because apparently also Bayern has entered the fight for Rebic. It is the striker’s great wish to follow coach Kovac to Munich. According to Sport Bild, a Bayern offer is possible but far below the figure of €50m.’
Interestingly, a few days ago Bild published an article doubting if the player is ready for such a move. Asking ‘Is Rebic really one for the big clubs’, the German newspaper pointed out that before last season he’d not really done anything and had struggled at more than one club.
Bild stated: ‘Attacking, like a bull. Tireless attacking. Fast and powerful. But often too impetuous – that’s why there’s frequent fouls. And negligent defensively.
‘His Bundesliga record: 49 matches, 8 goals, 5 assists. Before that, in four years as a loan striker seven times pushed back and forth between Florence, Leipzig, Verona and Frankfurt. Just last season he made the breakthrough.’
It’s very unlikely Manchester United were seriously considering Rebic before he went to Russia, so any transfer would be a market opportunity based on that. Given there’s just over two weeks of the window left, there may even be the scenario which sees baseless rumours of interest be hyped up so much they cause actual interest.
Bale, no, Willian, no, so what about that Rebic guy everyone is talking about?
Mourinho and others have to decide whether the World Cup was part of an upward curve which will continue, or whether things have got a little out of hand.
At Frankfurt’s end, judging by what is being pushed to the German media, they’d snap €50m out of someone’s hand and would likely accept less in a well structured deal.
This is certainly a doable transfer.
