With Pablo Longoria at its head, OM continues to progress in many aspects. Already in terms of results, but also in quality of play, with first of all the arrival of Jorge Sampaoli, then that of Igor Tudor last summer. But that’s not all, because the club also continues to move upmarket with recruitments that contrast in a simplified way with what has been done so far. No spectacular spending, but arrivals always well felt, whether in loans or in permanent transfers. To speak only of this season, we see the obvious contribution of Mbemba, Gigot, Bailly, Veretout or even Sanchez, not to mention the options exercised on Guendouzi and Ünder. But Longoria does not intend to stop on its spawned, and we see it this winter with the offensive on Malinovskyi, and therefore the nice surprise of Sunday evening with the announcement of an agreement with Ivan Ilic (21 years old).
Clear class and looseness on the ball, and a sense of forward play that transpires
An operation carried out, as often, in great discretion, and which should lead to a transfer next June between 15 and 18 M€, according to the Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano. A sum certainly substantial, but which still looks like a masterstroke, when we know the rating of the young Serbian central midfielder among recruiters. It must be said that the former Red Star ticks all the boxes in his position, with an obvious class and relaxation on the ball, and a sense of forward play that transpires, both with Hellas Verona and with the Serbian selection. The Hellas where Igor Tudor had madeIvan Ilic one of his key players, and it is obvious that the Croatian has a lot to do with his probable place. In addition, if it materializes, OM takes on a little more of this Italian accent developed at a rapid pace by the Longoria-Ribalta duo, both in recruitment and in work philosophy.
His name is cited for Torino, Lazio, and even PSG a few months ago
But to return to the precocious talent ofIvan Ilic, who is only 21 years old, he was spotted very early with an arrival at the youth of Manchester City at only 16 years old in July 2017. A recruitment among many others in what was the youth factory of the citizens at the time. From then on, City lent him all over Europe, until he found his real cocoon at Hellas Verona, where he has been playing since September 2020. It is therefore in Serie A that he has become a real professional footballer, and above all a footballer who counts today in Italy and on the international scene with Serbia. Verona who bought it definitively for 7.5 M€ and who will therefore make a nice tumble. Since then, his name has been cited for Torino, Lazio, and even PSG a few months ago. This shows that his potential is immense, and that explains why Longoria has been maneuvering for weeks like a Sioux to catch him. Obviously it’s almost done and we can, once again, only congratulate ourselves.