Roma sign ‘Croatian Messi’ Ante Coric for £5.2m on five-year deal

ROMA have signed Croatian wonderkid Ante Coric from Dinamo Zagreb for £5.2million.

Coric, 21, has penned a five-year deal with the Serie A giants – who announced the deal with another bizarre video.

Twitter / AS Roma

The midfield starlet was tracked by West Ham and Liverpool and has long been touted as the ‘Croatian Messi’ after stellar performances for his country at youth level.

Roma got excited as they revealed their new signing on social media, showing Coric holding up a shirt before rewinding to footage of him arriving for a tour of the club’s facilities.

The club, who are known for their wacky digital content, then took viewers all the way through time, back as far as dinosaurs in the Jurassic age. Really.

More mundanely, Coric said: “I am very pleased to be at Roma, one of the biggest European clubs. I have given everything to reach this level, and I cannot wait for the chance to start showing what I am capable of.”

Getty Images

Getty Images

Zoran Mamic, a former Dinamo Zagreb youth coach, once said of Coric: “He is a greater talent than Luka Modric and Mateo Kovacic were at his age.”

Coric has won three caps for his country, but was not included in their squad for the World Cup in Russia next month.

NEIL ASHTON Blaming Sergio Ramos for Liverpool loss in Champions League final is ridiculous

Monchi, Roma’s sporting director, said: “I believe that, with his signing, we have secured one of the emerging talents of European football.

“I hope that, with hard work from the player and the guidance of the coach, that talent can develop even further – and we can enjoy its quality for a long time.”