Aberdeen midfielder Ante Palaversa has lifted the lid on his long-term connection with Manchester City’s legendary boss Pep Guardiola.
Palaversa was signed by Guardiola for the English Premier League giants in a £6million transfer from Croatian club Hajduk Split in January 2019.
At just 18 years old, he was training alongside legends like Sergio Aguero, Riyad Mahrez, Rodri and Ilkay Gundogan during pre-season.
Although Palaversa never played a competitive game for Guardiola, the Manchester City boss kept close tabs on him during loan spells away from the club.
Guardiola sent Palaversa back to Hajduk Split for a period before further loan spells followed – at Oostende and Kortrijk in Belgium, and Getafe in Spain.
Former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss Guardiola rated Palaversa so highly he phoned him after every game on loan to discuss his performance and development.
After three years at Manchester City, former Croatian U21 international Palaversa left the club to sign a permanent deal with French club Troyes in 2022.
Palaversa, 24, said: “I was always on loan, but after every game – it didn’t matter if it was an important game or not – there would be an individual report. What you have done good or what you have done bad.
“After every game I would have that connection with him (Guardiola) when he would call and we would speak about the game.
“It was really good and shows you have to come up to that level.”
‘To experience that when I was young, I learned a lot’
Palaversa was snapped up by Guardiola after a successful breakthrough into the Hajduk Split first-team from the youth set-up.
He was tipped as the long-term replacement at Manchester City to legendary Brazilian midfielder Fernandinho.
That was due to Palaversa’s sublime passing skills, game vision, ability to retain possession and his physicality.
Palaversa never made the breakthrough with Manchester City, but has not given up on his dream of playing in the English top-flight.
And he reckons working with Guardiola and training with world-class stars has been invaluable in his development.
The midfielder said: “I was training with the Manchester City guys when not on loan during pre-season.
“The level and quality of the training and games was amazing.
“To experience that when I was young, I learned a lot.”
Comparison to Paul Pogba
Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin swooped during the summer transfer window to secure Palaversa on a one-year deal from Troyes.
The Dons have the option to extend the midfielder’s contract by a further two years to summer 2027 – if he impresses over the campaign.
Palaversa has made a positive impact and netted the opener in the 4-1 win against Dundee at Pittodrie prior to the international break.
The former Croatia under-19s captain also hit a dramatic late winner in the 3-2 victory against Hearts.
That goal against Hearts was Palaversa’s first in two years since scoring for Troyes in a 4-3 loss to Paris St Germain in the French top-flight.
Eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi, World Cup winner Kylian Mbappe and Brazilian star Neymar were on the scoresheet for PSG.
Dundee United defender Vicko Sevelj recently compared Palaversa to former Juventus and Manchester United star Paul Pogba, who won the World Cup with France.
Sevelj came through the youth ranks of Hajduk Split and the Croatia youth teams with the Aberdeen midfielder.
Palaversa said: “Really, he said I was like Paul Pogba? No way. Okay, okay, that’s good… Pogba.
“We were together at the academy of Hajduk Split and we were the same age group.
“For six or seven years, we played together. Vicko is really good guy and player.
“We were a really good team back then with a lot of great players my age. He was one of them.
“I told him I was coming to Aberdeen and we could meet for coffee or lunch.
“I’m happy he is also here and doing good.”
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