BARCELONA’S Alen Halilovic and Real Madrid’s Martin Odegaard are only at the right clubs if they were convinced by the project rather than potential fame and fortune, according to former Atletico Madrid star Veljko Paunovic.
Both youngsters have been playing for the B teams of their respective clubs since making their moves to the Spanish giants in the past 12 months. But Paunovic, himself a former B team graduate at Atletico, says the pair are in the right place providing they are there for the right reasons.
“I have lived through the same experience Halilovic is having at Barca B. I signed for Atletico and played in the B team as I continued to grow,” the Serbia Under-21 boss told Goal.
“I always say that the most important thing is the project, and that you know what you have to do to make the step up. It doesn’t matter if you are playing for the best team in a country with a competitive league, neither does it matter if you leave a place with a stronger league.”
Halilovic, 18, made headlines in March 2014, signing for Barcelona from Dinamo Zagreb nine months after becoming the youngest full international in Croatia history. Likewise, Odegaard left Stromsgodset for Madrid in January, three months on from his record-breaking Norway debut at the age of 15 years and 253 days.
But Paunovic says both are in a position to succeed so long as they work hard, regardless of the club colours they might end up wearing during their careers.
“Any model can be valid if you give your all to fulfil it and overcome any eventual hardship arising along the way,” he added.
“But it is very important to have a project – a vision, not automatically go to the club which pays most money, or go from one place to another without good reason. All that matters is where you want to go and how you want to reach your objectives.”
Odegaard scored one goal in 11 games for Real Madrid Castilla in the Segunda B this season, while Halilovic has netted four times in 28 appearances for relegation-threatened Barcelona B in the Segunda Division. However, neither has yet met a first team appearance.