MODRIC IS THE MODEL FOR NIKO’S NEW ROLE

Mentor tips £1.5m star to shine like Luka after both suffer Hajduk split

SUFFERING a rejection by his local club Hajduk Split after a trial, Rangers signing Nikola Katic instantly joined an illustrious club.

At the age of ten, Luka Modric trained with Hajduk for 15 days alongside his childhood friend and Zadar team-mate Mario Grgurovic.

‘I can’t say he failed at Hajduk,’ said Grgurovic later. ‘But the fact is he returned to Zadar and a few years later he went to Dinamo Zagreb. That is where he became a player.’

Some players develop later than others. Spurned for being too small, Modric recovered from the Hajduk setback to win four Champions League medals.

At the age of 21, £1.5million Rangers signing Katic remains a substantial distance from that level, of course.

After earning his first senior cap for Croatia against Mexico last summer, however, the new Ibrox signing’s first senior coach believes he could emulate Modric (right) in one aspect, at least — by showing how a setback can be the catalyst for a strong career.

Handed a trial by Hajduk, the Croatian giants were only prepared to offer Katic a deal with their B team.

Convinced he could play at a higher level, Katic opted to remain with Neretvanac before making the step up with Slaven Belupo.

‘Nikola came to our club as a 17-year-old and he almost immediately got a chance in our first team,’ said former Neretvanac coach Samir Vucic.

‘It was clear even then he would be a good player. To play with men at that age was not a problem for him. He was determined and showed no fear. No situation would panic him. He was assured on the ball and he was mentally strong. ‘We were in the Third Division and Nikola had already had an offer from Hajduk Split to play with their B team after a trial, but he rejected it. ‘Remember, Hajduk have made such a massive mistake before — they told Luka Modric he wasn’t good enough to play for them when they rejected him after a trial. ‘Perhaps they have made just as big a mistake this time (by only offering Katic a B team contract). ‘It’s proof that sometimes players can develop with a small club and don’t have to join Hajduk or Dinamo Zagreb. He certainly thrived at our club.’ Katic broke into the Slaven Belupo team in season 2016/17, playing 69 games and scoring three goals. After years without an organised scouting network, the recruitment of the defender marks a sea change for the Ibrox club. A promising prospect from a league exploited by many of Europe’s top clubs — including Celtic — many believe Katic represents the kind of signing Rangers should be making. A young player hungry to learn with a potentially high resale value if he succeeds in Glasgow. The departures of Russell Martin and David Bates created vacancies for two new central defenders.

Connor Goldson, the £3m signing from Brighton, is poised to join the Ibrox squad at their pre-season training camp in Spain on Sunday, taking the number of new faces under Steven Gerrard to six.

Katic was a key contributor to a Slaven Belupo team which punched above its weight by finishing seventh in the Croatian top flight last season, with sporting director Zvonimir Simunovic admitting: ‘On one hand, we are sorry to lose a quality player and a quality man like Nikola.

‘But on the other we are proud that we have achieved another big high-profile transfer.

‘This is a great advert, not just for our club, but also for (the city of) Koprivnica.

‘I hope now that Nikola will serve as an example to all the young players of our club that everyday work, effort and sacrifice can achieve great things.’

Spending the guts of £5m on a long-term problem area suggests Gerrard — due to report for work in Glasgow today — recognises the need for a team with a strong spine.

At 6ft 4in, Katic has the physical prowess to fit into Scottish football comfortably.

Current Hajduk Split manager, Zeljko Kopic, signed Katic for Slaven Belupo before moving on and he believes the young defender is a player yet to reach his full potential.

‘He is still learning,’ said Kopic. ‘And although he’s had a stand-out season, he will get much better.

‘He is outstanding in the tackle, strong and a physical presence in the air. Nikola is a player of inexhaustible energy, he always has a positive attitude. He has a strong character.

‘He’s a central defender, but he’s so comfortable on the ball, he could easily be pushed forward to be a defensive midfielder.

‘Perhaps that’s for the future. There’s room for improvement, but he has huge potential.’