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Chelsea, Juventus and Roma pounce on the ‘new Matic’
The product of the Belgrade Red Star academy featured as one of Serbia’s key players during the winning U-20 World Cup campaign held last summer in New Zeland. Even if Grujic is born in 1996, he can already rely on an uncommon physical strength (he is 192 cm tall) that he combines perfectly with some bright technical skills.
Thanks to his features, as well as his position on the pitch, the Serbian media have already labelled him as the ‘new Nemanja Matic’. Come as no surprise that the Premier League giants Chelsea were among the first European clubs to pounce on the player, whose cost is reported to be in the region on € 8 million.
Actually, Grujic turned down a Stamford Bridge move last summer as he wouldn’t have joined Chelsea straight-away, but José Mourinho proposed him to play one year on loan with the Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt.
The Portuguese boss, by the way, doesn’t give up so easily and he has recently sent Chelsea’s technical director Michael Emenalo to scout the young Serbian midfielder in the last Belgrade derby between Partizan and the Red Star.
Also the Serie A giants Roma and Juventus are reported to be interested in Grujic’s services. The Capitoline’s Sporting Director Walter Sabatini has already made an offer for him last January, but the Belgrade Red Star rejected Roma’s bid.
The Serie A title holders have still not made any official offer yet, but the Old Lady scouting team was impressed by Grujic’s 30 yard stunner netted against FK Rad.
The 19 year old starlet has just extended his contract with the Belgrade Red Star until 2018. He neeted three goals and registered three assists in the first 12 Serbian Premier League matches this term.