Euro Under-21 prospects

“Luka is a bombshell in front of goal. He’s an absolute poacher” Eintracht Frankfurt coach Adi Hutter

Age 20 (23.12.97), striker, Eintracht Frankurt (Ger, on loan from Benfica, Por) & Serbia

In a sentence

A ravenous predator for club and country with a merciless killer instinct.

What they say

Eintracht Frankfurt coach Adi Hutter: “Luka is a bombshell in front of goal. He’s an absolute poacher. He is doing an incredibly good job for us. You always have to be careful with superlatives, but I do think he has the potential to get to the top.”

Former Germany striker Fredi Bobic, now Eintracht’s director of sport: “He’s an unbelievable operator in the box. The way he is developing is sensational.”

Story so far

A star striker with Red Star’s youth sides, he made his senior debut at 16 in a league game against Vojvodina and marked the occasion with a goal two minutes after appearing as a sub. He remains the club’s youngest-ever scorer, and after 13 goals in 48 games he moved to Benfica.

Failing to make an impact in Portugal, he joining Eintracht Frankfurt on a twoyear loan in July 2017, and despite spending much of last term on the bench he still managed eight Bundesliga goals and scored the winner in a German Cup semi-final tie against Schalke.

He became an automatic first choice this season and has repaid the faith of coach Hutter with a flurry of goals, including five in a 7-1 hammering of Fortuna Dusseldorf in October.

Top scorer with seven goals in Serbia’s successful qualifying campaign for the 2019 Euro Under-21 finals, he won his first full cap against Chile in June and made a fleeting 60-second appearance at the World Cup against Brazil.

The next step

Eintracht have the right to buy him at the end of this season for 12million. However, Benfica have him under contract until 2021 and there could be scope for another party to push to the front of the queue. Bayern Munich are said to be very interested, while Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea have also been linked.

Strengths

Clinical with either foot, he is strong in the air and plays with an abundance of brawny presence. Technically gifted, he is industrious and works the channels intelligently. Quick on the turn in the box, he is capable of the most unorthodox of finishes, with a spectacular mid-air volley or crafty leaping back-heel.

Weaknesses

At times he can hang on to the ball a little too much and embark on over-elaborate dribbling actions. His pressing game needs a lot more diligence.