Rijeka Signs Young Croatian International
Young Matić from Stuttgart, who has progressed through all of Croatia's youth levels, is the new addition at Rujevica. The club is still deciding on his status with the first team.
Young Matić from Stuttgart, who has progressed through all of Croatia's youth levels, is the new addition at Rujevica. The club is still deciding on his status with the first team.
HNK Rijeka has brought in a new addition for the future. According to the portal Nepresušan, young Croatian international Matić, arriving from Germany's Stuttgart, has been linked with Rujevica.
matić is a player who covers the entire right side of the pitch, capable of playing both as a full-back and a winger. His main attributes are speed, explosiveness, and a pronounced ability in one-on-one situations. He has already showcased his talent in a friendly match for Rijeka's youth team.
Unlike other players who have come to Rujevica from Germany, such as Franjo Ivanović and Marco Pašalić, Matić arrives without senior football experience. They had already accumulated minutes in senior competition before joining Rijeka, whereas Matić has so far played exclusively for Stuttgart's youth teams.
His international career path is also interesting. Matić initially played for the German U-16 selection, but then decided to switch allegiances and chose Croatia. After that, he regularly featured for Croatia's youth teams in the U-17, U-18, and U-19 age groups.
Last season, he was part of the Stuttgart squad that won the prestigious German Youth Cup, further confirming his potential.
It is still unknown whether Rijeka will immediately integrate him into the first team or send him on loan to gain much-needed senior experience. What is certain is that they see him as a long-term investment in the future at Rujevica, with the realistic possibility that he could get his chance among the seniors as early as this season.
