Dinamo Zagreb coach Igor Biscan has labelled Luka Ivanusec irreplaceable while suggesting that Burnley will need to pay up to £17 million to lure the Croatia international to the Premier League.
Last month, Sportske Jutarnji suggested that Burnley were planning to celebrate promotion from the Championship by launching an opening £10 million offer for a man sitting pretty near the very top of Vincent Kompany’s summer wishlist.
That, however, is unlikely to be enough.
Dinamo Zagreb sold Josko Gvardiol and Dani Olmo for eight-figure sums, and Burnley may have to part with a similarly lofty figure if they want to take Ivanusec to Turf Moor.
Burnley like Croatia and Dinamo Zagreb ace Luka Ivanusec
“If (goalkeeper Dominik) Livakovic leaves, there’s no way you can replace him. If Ivanusec leaves, it’s similar,” former Liverpool midfielder Biscan tells Vecernji List.
“It is almost impossible to replace a player worth 15 to 20 million euros with a player who costs four, five times less.”
Ivanusec turned down a move to Celtic a couple of years ago in favour of staying put and continuing his development in Croatia. Now 23, and with a couple of excellent seasons at Dinamo Zabreg under his belt, Ivanusec – like Olmo and Gvardiol before him – may be ready for a new challenge in a new league.
He has 10 goals and four assists in all competitions this season.
An attacking midfielder who can also play wide on the left, Ivanusec may be tasked with offsetting the departure of Nathan Tella if Burnley’s top scorer returns to parent club Southampton during the off-season.
When addressing those Burnley rumours, however, Ivanusec did not sound like a man who had made up his mind.
“I’m still a Dinamo player,” he said. “It’s hard for me to talk about it. If it comes to that, you have to weigh the options. See where it’s best to go for further development.”
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