Matija Nastasic: The future star of Serbian football

He is just 19, however, he shows the maturity of a 28 year old footballer and he is set to be one of Serbia’s brightest football exports. Fiorentina’s Matija Nastasic has already drawn praise from all quarters due to his prudent display of defensive skills throughout the 2011-2012 season, a season that proved immensely tough for the Tuscan club. The club had to endure managerial shuffles and a relegation dog-fight before finishing thirteenth in the Serie A, yet they managed to uncover a Balkan talent that has attracted suitors from as far as Manchester and London at the fag end of the 2011-2012 season. Since he joined the Viola from Partizan Belgrade in 2011, it is highly unlikely that the teenager will make a move to the Premier League this early in his career having settled well at the Stadio Artemio Franchi making a healthy twenty seven appearances for Fiorentina last season.

Rising star from Serbia

It is not uncommon for any youngster in Europe to attract the likes of Manchester United and City, Arsenal and Barcelona and Nastasic’s career has already followed that path yet it remains to be seen whether Fiorentina are able to withstand the big money transfer pressure in this environment of cash strapped football economy to hold on to one of their prized assets. The 6ft 1 in Serbian is a dynamic centre half who will improve as the days go by and it’s said that the former Fiorentina manager and Serbian legend Sinisa Mihajlovic lured him into the Serie A. The player has not disappointed him although Mihajlovic is not around the club anymore after being sacked in 2011. In the beginning of February, reports suggested that Arsene Wenger was interested in signing the young defender keeping in mind his youth policy at the Emirates. Although Fiorentina are adamant that the player is not leaving the club right now given that he will be only in his second year come the 2012-2013 season, the Tuscans would like to have his reported market value go up a fair notch above seven million pounds with a strong season. Another reported interest knocked at the Viola’s doors in April as Sir Alex Ferguson likened him to Nemanja Vidic, another great Serbian football export that Nastasic would like to follow.

Although these offers have calmed down a bit due to Fiorentina’s stubborn refusal to let the player go but rest assured when the new season gets underway, fresh offers would be knocking at the Italian club’s doors for Matija Nastasic. The U-21 international has shown his assured nature as a tremendous defender after succeeding at the junior levels of Serbian football and his continuous development over the next year or so would make him a wanted international in European football. His performances over the course of the last season had led to former manager Delio Rossi to label Nastasic as a highly motivated player who has the potential to become a better defender than Nemanja Vidic. Only time will say whether the 19 year old has all it takes to be successful at the highest of levels that his fellow countryman Vidic has achieved over the years. No doubt, the much younger Nastasic has the urge and the talent to be one of the best in the business.