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Chalk this one up to the 'amass loads of young talent' strategy. According to a report from Croatia, Chelsea have swooped in for Hajduk Split midfielder Mario Pasalic, who until recently looked Serie-A-bound -- all for a cool fee of around 2 million, an offer which Lazio didn't match. The report states that personal terms have not yet been agreed with the 18-year-old, but I'd have to imagine that it won't be difficult to get a deal done should the report prove true.
I've never watched Pasalic and I don't think I've even heard of him before, but from what I've read the Mainz-born 18-year-old seems to fit the Jose Mourinho mould of midfielder -- he's versatile, tall and can score goals. Although the Prva HNL isn't exactly a top football league, breaking into the first team at any level at that age (and it would probably have been younger if not for an illness) is impressive.
I won't pretend to know anything more about him, but hopefully this gets done, because Pasalic sounds like the sort of talent we want to keep around.
