Last night he did it again. Slovenian striker Robert Beric bagged another goal against Tottenham Hotspur for his club NK Maribor in the UEFA Europa League. The 21-year-old has been in great form in the competition which has seen him linked with a host of clubs. What can we tell you about him?
1. He started his career in the youth system of second division side NK Krsko, making just 11 appearances before moving on.
2. He signed for capital city club NK Interblock in 2008. He helped the club win the Slovenian cup in his first season in Ljubljana and in his two seasons at the club he played 34 times scoring 12 times.
3. Among internal problems at Interblock he made the move to Slovenian giants NK Maribor in 2010.
4. Maribor’s sporting director and Slovenian football legend Zlatko Zahovic spoke of his admiration for the player when they signed him calling him a ‘great young player’ and stating that Maribor were ‘very pleased’ with the acquisition.
5. He played at Interblock and Maribor with current Palermo playmaker Josip Illicic.
6. The striker has scored three goals in the Europa League so far this season after netting in a 3-0 win over Panathinaikos, 1-1 draw with Spurs and in Thursdays 3-1 defeat at White Hart Lane.
7. Newcastle United reportedly had a £2 million bid denied in August last year. Newcastle are not the only team interested in his signature. Rumours have mounted that Norwich City and Aston Villa hold a vested interest in his progress while Serie A sides Napoli and Sampdoria are also keen. Tottenham Hotspur are now being mentioned as wanting to sign the Slovenian starlet.
8. Sporting director Zahovic however states that they are unaware of any interest in the player. Speaking to Slovenian newspaper Ekipa he specified:
"Beric? Believe me; I do not know anything about interest from those clubs mentioned,"
9. If he was to move to the Premier League he would become one of very few Slovenian’s to play in the Premier League with Haris Vuckic of Newcastle United the only current representative.
10. He recently earned his first call-up for the full Slovenia national team for the friendly match with Macedonia on the 14th November.
Here is in action…
image: © StartAgain
Mathew Nash
@hitcmathewnashGoogle+more stories from Mathew Nash
I’m Mathew Nash a 23 year old graduate in Sports Studies and I have an insatiable love for sport. With a particularly keen interest for the madcap world of football I have always been known amongst friends as a beacon for bizarre sporting trivia and knowledge. My other passion is for writing and hopefully combining the two will create a superb and entertaining marriage that will create, divide and share opinion.
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