VARAZDIN CONSIDERING POSAVEC

NK Varazdin are considering making a move for Srebrenko Posavec after the playmaker impressed in a friendly in midweek. The 30 year old has been residing in the Croatian city after failing to tie down a new contract with Slaven Belupo. Posavec has been one of the strongest performers in HNL1 over the last ten years and despite being in free agent status is rated by transfermarkt.de as a 1m Euro player.

It is understood Posavec left Belupo as they were over capacitated in that area with Aljosa Vojinovic and Goran Mujanovic already on board. Belupo also wanted to bring the younger Stjepan Poljak back to the club. For Varazdin, Posavec would be a major addition and would be reunited with former teammate Nikola Safaric. However the deal is currently on ice as Varazdin need to shift out a midfielder first and the quartet of Glavina - Glavica - Golubar - Susac are currently performing well. In the winter Varazdin would like to raise funds from the sale of there two stars Roberto Puncec and Josip Brezovec who have been little short of outstanding so far this season. At that point Safaric is expected to be moved into the starting line and Posavec may become an option. At present Varazdin are deciding whether they strike a deal with Posavec now or wait till then. The club may also look at Gordan Golik as a new defensive midfield man.

The rejuvenation of Varazdin in the face of what is a financial mess has been so expected to Varazdin that the club suddenly need to decide what to do with Gordan Vuk, Andrej Vuk and Adi Musli who all appear surplus to requirements and may be allowed to move on. One thing Varazdin need to stay weary of is players moving freely due to unpaid wages. Josip Brezovec is playing so well that he deserves a transfer to a bigger club and Puncec is continuing the same form that helped earn Croatia a semi final place in the Under 19 Euro Championships. Varazdin lost Igor Prahic and Matija Smrekar to French Ligue 2 promotion chasers Sedan last year for little to no money. Smrekar since looks likely to go onto some degree of success, so Varazdin must stay guarded of losing such talents for nothing.

ISTRA FACING HARD SEASON

Istra 1961 look set for a difficult season, after failing to win a game in the first nine matches. Much of the problems can be attributed to poor preparation as one of the league best coaches Zoran Vulic was allowed to leave the club and the directors were slow in providing funds for new players to be brought to the club. Istra do now have their full crop of players. However inspirational striker Asim Sehic has been injured and new signing Edin Hadzic, Hjorve Kovacevic and Armend Alimi have not lived up to expectations. With so many relegation spots its hard to see how Istra can survive.

Istra seemed to have passed up on the idea of bringing high profile names such as Ivan Bosnjak and Dario Zahora (now of Bnei Sahknin). They did pursuade Sinisa Linic to sign up, however problems are in the creative and goalscoring department. Armend Alimi and Kovacevic seem not to be making their mark. The club could attempt to switch things around if the clubs wealthy Russian owner has the ambition to stay in the league. Srebrenko Posavec and Miroslav Saric would be two adventurous recruits and can play immediately due to being in free agent status.

In attack Asim Sehic, Edin Hadzic, Eliomar and Bosko Stupic have done well in former years and may come alive if the supply is good enough.

HNL1 ROUND 9

Hajduk Split stay top of the Croatian League after a comfortable 2-0 win over Varazdin. Ante Vukusic scored his seventh goal of the season, with the other coming from Duje Cop. Hajduk will be hugely delighted with the progress the young Croatian Under 21 international pair have made this season. Vukusic is the current top scorer in the league.

RNK Split kept up their excellant winning streak to improve their status in the top three beating crisis club Istra 1961 1-0. Slaven Belupo moved up to fifth after a comfortable 3-0 win over Dragovoljac. Vojinovic, Tepuric and Bagaric were on target. Belupo released Filip Marcic in midweek due to misconduct. Dragovoljac are becoming cut adrift at the bottom of the table with Istra 1961.

Inter Zapresic and Osijek recorded much needed wins to move away from the relegation zone. Zapresic have had an amazing turnaround in fortunes and picked up another 1-0 victory this time at Sibenik. Maligned Albanian striker Arber Abilijaj finally got his first goal of the season. Osijek were 3-2 winners against Zadar, which sent the opponents further into difficulty. Vedran Jugovic, Ivan Milicevic and Vedran Niksic scored in a hard fought win. Osijek will be relieved that Niksic, Milicevic and Josip Barisic are finally hitting the net again.

Cibalia prevented their slide towards to lower end of the table with a 1-0 win over Karlovac. Reliable striker Dino Kresinger scored their goal. Karlovac gave a debut to new signing Karlo Primorac, who last played for Dinamo Zagreb.

BOSNJAK STILL WAITING

Croatian forward Ivan Bosnjak, still remains in free agent status after failing to lock down a deal with a new club prior to the new campaign. Although a foriegn contract appears unlikely, Bosnjak is still a catch for HNL1 sides. Cibalia is the hometown club of the 31 year old, but they do not have a financial package suitable for the ex Hajduk, Dinamo and Racing Genk man.

Bosnjak instead could be looking at a Croatian club like HNK Rijeka. Nenad Gracan may be interested in the winter should he lose Radomir Dalovic. However for now he is staying firmly within budget. Many Rijeka fans feel that the team needs a few more experienced attacking midfielder to help them compete with Dinamo and Hajduk. As well as Bosnjak, Srebrenko Posavec and Miroslav Saric are handy free agent signings.

Posavec, 30 and Gordan Golik, 25 could well be waiting for a deal with NK Varazdin who need to sell in the winter and may be taking a few months away to recharge. However Miroslav Saric is likely to be the next to sign up with a new club just to gain first team action having failed to secure a deal abroad. Cibalia, Karlovac, Istra Pula or Zadar could all be looking at him.

Abroad, Marko Maric may be looking around clubs. However once again he could prove an attractive recruit for Rijeka as replacement for Damir Kreilach who may recieve offers in the winter. Dino Drpic's situation also looks desperate as he has failed to land a new club. It is surprising no Bundesliga 1 or 2 offer has been lodged. Goran Sablic's injury issue could well have got the better off him. Usually such players as Sablic and Drpic were guarenteed deals in Dinamo or Hajduk, but times seem to have changed. Marko Babic has only beginning looking for a new club so still has time.

DINAMO SNAP UP SKENDER

Dinamo Zagreb have completed the signing of 30 year old goalkeeper Marin Skender. The former Osijek player will provide cover to younger Under 21 international Ivan Keleva. Skender is however a former Croatia international and coach Vahid Halihodzic may feel Skender will provide better competition than Ivan Vidakovic, who has not played for Dinamo yet since being taken from Lokomotiva. The move to Dinamo is an opportunity for Skender who has been trying to find a new club since leaving NK Zagreb in the summer.

Elsewhere Karlo Primorac has finally agreed terms to sign with Karlovac. The 26 year old Osijek forward is being seen as a major recruit by Igor Pamic, who has funds from the transfers of Goran Bunoza, Nevan Vukman and Mario Baric. Pamic has been looking for a influential signing since allowing youngster Niko Tokic to leave the club. Pamic has also signed up former Inter Zapresic defender Marijan Budimir, due to an injury to Toni Golem.

Slaven Belupo may also be forced to look for a new player due to injury to their misfiring frontman Tomislav Busic. It is possible Aljosa Vojinovic and Mateas Delic may be forced to abandon their midfield roles to join Francis Tepuric and Matija Poredski in attack. Filip Marcic has also been released by the club due to misconduct, although his place in currently being filled by younger Puric.

Srebrenko Posavec, Ivan Bosnjak, Marko Babic, Dino Drpic, Goran Sablic, Marko Maric, Gordan Golik and Miroslav Saric remain without a club after two months into the new season. Posavec, Golik and Saric could yet find space in a HNL1 club, but the others may have to look abroad.

HNL1 ROUND 8

ZAGREB 0 DINAMO 1 (Barbaric)
RIJEKA 0 HAJDUK 1 (Brkljaca)
ZAPRESIC 1 OSIJEK 0 (Saric)
VARAZDIN 2 CIBALIA 1 (Susac, Brezovec/ Kresinger)
DRAGOVOLJAC 0 SIBENIK 1 (Alispahic)
SPLIT 1 LOKOMOTIVA 0 (Vitaic)
ZADAR 2 ISTRA 0
KARLOVAC 1 BELUPO 0

RNK Split look set to launch a campaign for European football after yet another victory. This time at home to Lokomotiva. Ante Vitaic netted the only goal of the game. Karlovac are also on a good winning run with a impressive 1-0 win against Slaven Belupo. Igor Pamic intends to improve his team in midweek with a new signing and will be satisfied his latest arrival Cejvanovic found the net, whilst also keeping a clean sheet. Slaven Belupo meanwhile, have creativity in abundance from Stjepan Poljak, Aljosa Vojinovic and Goran Mujanovic, but are finding goals hard to come by. Mateas Delic has been satisfactory, however neither Francis Tepuric or summer signing Tomislav Busic have found the net so far this season.

Josip Brezovec once again showed his quality as he netted the winner to help Varazdin defeat Cibalia 2-1. Despite having the worse financial situation in HNL1, Varazdin have impressed so far this season with a fine young crop of player. Brezovec and Robert Puncec, stand out but Glavina, Glavica, Simek and Krklec have also performed well this season. Cibalia will see this as an opportunity lost. However Stanko Mrsic's side are still in a comfortable league position and will forward to their next match.

Inter Zapresic made it three wins in a row as they overcame Osijek 1-0 thanks to Tomislav Saric's strike. It was a important win for Zapresic which brings them back amongst the pack attempting to stay safe in midtable. Sibenik also recorded a victory against winless Hrvatski Dragovoljac. However Mehmad Alispahic's solitary penalty goal will not convince Vjekoslav Lokic they have turned the corner just yet. Despite Sibenik's win, Zadar recorded a win over lowly Istra Pula to edge clear of danger.

DINAMO BRING OUT THERE BEST

Dinamo Zagreb recorded one of there best ever results in European competition defeating Villareal 2-0. The Croatian Champions currently coached by Vahid Halilhodzic played their game of the season with goals by the outstanding Sammir and Ante Rukavina.

Dinamo still have the same system employed by Velimir Zajec, which has been bringing the best out of Sammir. However Halilhodzic has made changes, bringing in the experienced Tonel in the centre of defence and moving Leandro Cufre to left back. Tomislav Barbaric has been dropped to the bench where he provides cover.

It also has not taken the Bosnian coach long to work out that Luis Ibanez is a stronger midfielder than a defender and is using him in an attacking role. Dinamo have also had success on the right wing where Sime Vrsaljko and Ivan Tomecak provide excellant energy and pace. The Croatian Under 21 international are a major hope for the countries footballing future. Halilhodzic has also put his trust in Arjan Ademi alongside Milan Badelj, but have two more than able deputies in Matias Chago and Adrian Callelo.

In attack Halilhodzic finally played Pedro Morales to the delight of many Dinamo fans, who enjoyed the Chileans performances last season. Morales is hugely talented and possessing strong shooting and passing skills. Dodo is expected to fall into the background with Fatos Beciraj and Jakub Sylvestr ready for games next week. Along with Dodo, Miroslav Slepicka will also struggle for action. The 28 year old is not the future of the team and may be made available for sale. Andrej Kramaric could also suffer. Etto, Chago and Ibanez are expected to have a place at Dinamo.