Croatia and England played out a dramatic first half on Wednesday night, with Martin Baturina producing a moment of genuine quality to level the score at 1-1.
Harry Kane had given England the lead from the penalty spot after Luka Modric brought down Noni Madueke inside the box.
Kane’s initial penalty was saved by the Croatian goalkeeper, but the referee ordered a retake due to the keeper coming off his line prematurely.
The England captain made no mistake from the spot the second time around, sending his side into the lead at the World Cup.
Croatia responded with intent, however, and it was Baturina who produced the moment of the match to restore parity.
The Como midfielder struck the ball with tremendous precision from outside the box, sending it straight into the top left corner of the net.
Jordan Pickford got a hand to the shot but could not do enough to keep it out, leaving the England goalkeeper with no real chance of stopping it.
The goal immediately intensified the conversation around Baturina’s future, with the 23-year-old heavily linked with a move to the Premier League this summer.
Reports indicate that both Tottenham and Aston Villa have submitted bids in the region of €50m to lure the Croatian away from Serie A side Como.
Spurs’ interest was reported by Portuguese journalist Pedro Almeida, who revealed earlier in June that the North London club had presented an offer around €50m to Como for the midfielder.
Aston Villa’s pursuit was reported by Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, with Unai Emery’s side said to have tabled a bid somewhere between €50m and €55m for the player.
Leeds have also been linked with Baturina in the past, adding further depth to the competition for his signature this summer.
Roberto De Zerbi’s side are already busy reshaping their squad, with the signings of Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi already confirmed ahead of next season.
Spurs are also reportedly closing in on a deal for Jan Paul van Hecke, suggesting significant investment is being made across the squad this window.
Adding Baturina to either midfield would represent a genuine statement of intent, and his performance against England tonight will only drive that interest further.
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