Who is Hrvoje Smolcic?

TRANSFERS RSC Anderlecht is on the verge of signing Hrvoje Smolcic, a 24-year-old left-back from Eintracht Frankfurt. Smolcic is seen as Jan Vertonghen's successor. The Croatian defender spent last season on loan at Austrian side LASK Linz, although he was also sidelined for several weeks with an injury.


Smolcic is characterized by his strong aerial duels, excellent mentality, and good positional play. He is known as a good captain on the pitch, capable of guiding younger players.

However, there are concerns about his speed, which could be problematic for a team that prefers to press high. He has also struggled with several injuries, likely the reason why LASK declined to exercise their purchase option.

Günther Mayrhofer, a journalist who follows LASK, notes that Smolcic didn't arrive in top form and struggled with injuries throughout the season: "We've never seen the best Smolcic. He played with me for a large part of the season, especially towards the end. But he remained 100 percent committed to the club even when it turned out the purchase option wouldn't be exercised," he said.

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