Written By: Andrew R.
After joining Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur only a year ago, Vatreni legend Ivan Perišić might already be headed out the door – and on his way to Hajduk Split!
According to Gianluca DiMarzio, an international reporter for Sky Sports, Perišić is close to terminating his contract with his current club and joining the Croatian runner-ups. This rumor arises after only one season in the English Premier League, where he made 34 appearances for the London side. It is noted that English media was very harsh on Perišić during his spell, which may be why he wishes to leave the club with only one more year remaining on his contract. However, this is only speculation at this time.
On the other hand, prominent reporter Fabrizio Romano claims nothing is happening between Perišić and Hajduk as of now. This contradiction creates a standoff between both sides of the story. Italian news media supports Di Marzio’s claim, while Romano insists otherwise.
What do you think – will Perišić return to Hajduk for the first time since 2006, or is this just a rumor destined to rile up fans and make noise in the Croatian football community?
Test Test
Everyone is writing off Ivan a bit too soon me thinks?
He still has gas in the tank the heart of a 🦁 and is physically healthy.
I will be shocked if he goes to hajduk this year. I see him having a good year in one of the big 5 leagues if his wage demands can be met.
A healthy Perisić is STILL an asset to any big club with his skills and experience…this supposed drop off of his last year is comical.The English love crucifying us Croats after all the pain we have bestowed upon them.
Long live Ivan the great !!
On a different note… I am perplexed a little as to why Pasalic nixed a transfer to Fenerbache in Turkey from Atalanta.
He would rule there
@Dannyj and @Slavonac from Canada:
Know my response is real late but just wanna say I enjoyed your Burnaby posts. Very interesting snippets on Sakic and the Sigurs, thanks for sharing!
@Mate1:
Think you asked about Sucic somewhere earlier… I just read the RB Salzburg website. The Austrian club has so far played 2 pre-season friendlies, with Sucic not involved in any of them. Based on a report of their last game played on Jul 4, Sucic is listed among a group of players who are still “recovering”.
Thanks Bartolec. I was crossing my fingers that he would have an early recovery, but I guess it’s still gonna take a while. He is a really good prospect for Croatia, I am hoping he gets through this and can still continue to play at a top level.
Same here! He’s a great talent… love his size and that left foot of his.
Perišić is a legend.
Spurs can puši kurac
Half that team was trash NOT named Ivan.
His longevity with Croatia is second only to Modrić.
He is still our second best player.
Two footed specimen.
Donna Vekic is the latest Cardiac Kidd. Nice comeback from behind. Nice croatian move!
Perisic is a winner, why would he want to go to a loser club like Hajduk.
Is Perišić the most underappreciated player in the world? He was one of Inter”s best players a few years ago, and they disrespected him by not offering a new contract until the last minute. Now apparently spurs incoming coach says he doesn’t need Ivan. He was one of their most creative players last season…now he gets cut. Maybe he’s considering Hajduk because he’ll be a hero, and the fans in Croatia love and respect him.
I think he’s largely underappreciated by the media and by FIFA/UEFA.
But all football fans and pundits (who know what they’re talking about) consider him a star caliber player.
Just the other day I saw the British Sun media run a headline calling him a flop.
Yet in the comments section, you have every single Spurs fans saying the complete opposite, talking about how they’ll miss his assists, how despite being worn out at LWB and playing at the World Cup he was still showing up.
Most still want him on the team playing solely in his preferred LW position.
I think Perišić wanting to go back to Split is for his two kids.
They’re at a critical age (9 and 11) and he probably doesn’t want to mess them up any further by having them raised in a weird county like the UK, after already having to switch from living in Germany and Italy too.
Croatia is the best place in the World for kids to be raised in.
He doesn’t need the money anymore, and his kids are already at that age where they’re heavily influenced by their surroundings.
Having them raised around family, with their cultural traditions is probably something they were missing and it’s possibly already taken a toll.
I think that Perisic definitely is very underappreciated and most Croatian fans and soccer fans agree on this too. He has been undervalued at many clubs and like you mention Eric, he might want to be the hero at Hajduk. Many think this transfer is unlikely due to a financial stand point but I am not sure myself. If he does indeed go to Hajduk they will utilize him in a way many people feel and believe he should, and maybe at this stage in his career that is what he wants. He very well may leave Tottenham for a sense of belonging at Hajduk or stay at Tottenham and collect a pay check. Most likely only time will tell.
I thinkin’ this is an effort to create a narrative, to will into existence, a desired outcome. He must reveal his sources somewhere to substantiate this claim. We all like the heart warming story of a player coming home, to make good. A gather around the hearth moment.
@krozima
I would immediately dismiss this story if it came from anyone other than DiMarzio, but since it’s him, there must be some degree of truth to it. I just don’t buy that he’s ready to wind down at Hajduk on a sweetheart deal. He’s obviously not in his prime, but he’s still able to compete at a high level, so neither the challenge nor the money makes sense to me. I do fully understand how homesick the UK might make him, but he’d be welcome at many top clubs in Italy or Spain for another year or two before this move becomes a serious consideration. Too bad Sevilla is in money trouble, as a Europa League trophy would make a fine cherry on top of his career.
I think this transfer rumor actually may be slightly more than a desired outcome. Perisic I believe did mention once he would not be opposed to a return to his former club. On the other hand “Ivane vrime je” has been trend used by Hajduk supporters over the years to entice him to return. Maybe a mix of wanting to escape negative media in England and Hajduk’s love for him can actually make the heart warming story a reality.
It would be so awesome
If rakitic(there were some rumours over the years)
Perisic
And maybe get someone else
I think it would be so cool to make a Croatian super team and make a run for the CL
If I’m Perisic, I’m parking my ass at Tottenham until my contract expires. Go to training collect a pay check. Not worth going anywhere unless you get the same money elsewhere.
If he’s not happy in London and just wants to collect a paycheck, then he may as well follow Broz and collect a paycheck in Saudi Arabia.
He should just make Levy buy out half the contract.
Don’t let that piece of shit off the hook. Make him pay a fee to terminate the contract.
I agree with you as this is a very logical sense of approaching a move to a club like Hajduk who cannot afford wages similar to that of top clubs in Europe. However, the only way I see this transfer happening is Perisic waits out the contract and joins Hajduk next year or he disregards the money. If Perisic does indeed move to Hajduk it would most likely be for comfort and playing for a supporter base that he knows will appreciate him. At this point it will come down to what environment Perisic wants at this stage in his career.
The only way I see this happening is in the Winter transfer window when half of his enormous salary will have already been paid. How does he walk away from £9,270,000? With half the season over, maybe Tottenham eats a sizable portion of what’s left so that Hajduk can absorb him.
I didn’t realize he was paid this much.
Going to Hajduk doesn’t make sense unless he coordinates his return with a few other veteran players.
Otherwise, it’ll be just him and a bunch of kids.
Meh, if you have him, Livaja, Krovinovic plays at a high level, Puktas continues to improve and you get a little something out of the kids – they’ll be the best team on paper, especially if Dinamo offload Livakovic and Sutalo before the start of the league.
Maybe.
Ideally they would focus more on achieving something in Europe, instead of simply trying to win the HNL.
Hajduk has been below Rijeka and Osijek (let alone Dinamo) with their European level results these past 20 years.
If they doing an “all-in” move, they should be trying to coordinate several vets to come in at the same window, and do something that would make Hajduk fans proud both at the local and European level…or just continue to focus on developing their youth instead.
No point in having vets take over spots of developing young players (like Nikola Kalinic did with Marin Ljubicic) if it’s going to amount to nothing.
Agreed. I’m guessing if Perisic does in fact make the move, others might potentially follow him. I think it’s a fine line to walk in terms of going all in and still balancing what you have on the youth side. Hajduk have gone all in on trying the veteran route and got burned badly on that.
I think a title would still mean a lot in terms of the club psyche; if they can bring home a cup and league title in successive seasons, I think it would finally put an end to the ‘dark ages’ they experienced the last 15 or so years.