Manchester City target Croatian duo – Club officials sent to monitor players live amid competition from Inter and Newcastle | OneFootball

Officials from Manchester City have reportedly been sent to monitor the performances of a rising Croatian duo, with competition from Premier League and Serie A clubs.

It is the latest monitoring and scouting mission undertaken by Manchester City as the summer transfer window approaches, with a busy market expected from Etihad Stadium bosses both in regards to the first-team squad and the wider portfolio of sister clubs.

In recent weeks, Manchester City officials have been present at all corners of the globe, monitoring the performances of matches and specific talents with a view towards reporting back and retaining information on prospective future signings.

That search has taken them to the likes of the Danish Superliga, FC Porto in Portugal, and an international contest between Hungary and Kosovo during the most recent and final national team break of the ongoing season.

Now, according to the information of L’Interista, as translated and relayed by Sport Witness, Manchester City have set their sights on NK Osijek forward Anton Matković (18), as well as Lokomotiva Zagreb goalkeeper Nikola Čavlina (21).

It is claimed that along with Newcastle United, Manchester City sent officials to Croatia to follow the duo live in action when their respective sides faced each other on Saturday in Croatian Football League action.

Elsewhere in Europe and the report also points out that Italian Champions Inter Milan have also identified the Croatian youngsters as targets, but now have to be ‘wary’ of the aforementioned Premier League duo.

Interestingly, Anton Matković’s agent Marjan Sisic is also the representative of Manchester City’s Joško Gvardiol, and as such the Premier League champions may hold a crucial advantage in the race for the teenager.

But how exactly did the weekend’s contest pan out for Manchester City watching on from the stands in Croatia?

Osijek recorded a 3-1 win over Lokomotiva Zagreb and it was 18-year-old forward Matković who starred by scoring a brace. While the goalkeeper being monitoring conceded three, the 21-year-old stopper largely prevented the game from being subjected to a heavier scoreline.

It remains to be seen whether the monitoring of the duo’s performances were directly for the purpose of Manchester City, or whether they are targets for the wider City Football Group in their continued pursuit of European dominance.