After the Morocco blow: Klopp threatened with losing a new talent

Germany could be about to lose another dual-nationality talent. The Croatian Football Federation have joined a strong race for Luka Vuskovic, the Schalke midfielder, after his first appearance for the senior side against Bayern Munich.

According to the German newspaper "Bild", Croatia are ramping up their efforts to convince the 19-year-old to represent them, banking on the roots that grant him the right to choose between Croatia and Germany.

Vuskovic has never turned out for any national team at youth level, nor has he played a single match with the senior German side. That leaves him free to pick whichever nation he represents in the future, according to the "SPOX" network.

Whether the German Football Association have actually opened talks with the player remains unclear. But his brilliance and rapid development may force officials to act fast, especially after he was handed his first Schalke appearance against Bayern Munich in the second round of the league.

Schalke didn't stop there. Last Thursday they announced an extension to the defensive midfielder's contract until 2029, after he had, according to reports, fielded several offers from German second-division clubs during the summer transfer window.

You can discuss topics and news in greater depth in the "Kooora" forums

The Vuskovic case fits a worrying pattern. Germany have shed a number of dual-nationality talents in recent years, and among the most prominent examples is his Schalke team-mate Soufiane El Fouzi, who chose Morocco and became a candidate for Jurgen Klopp's list. Can Uzun and Kenan Yildiz also opted for Turkey, having previously appeared with the German youth teams.

Paris Brunner's future remains open, despite a first call-up to the German under-21 side on Friday. The young forward is drawing interest from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with coach Sebastien Desabre confirming contact with his parents and stressing the player would not be pressured.

Germany have had better luck elsewhere. They appear to have settled the futures of Nnamdi Banks and Louai Ben Farhat, after Antonio Di Salvo, the coach of the Germany under-21 side, confirmed his satisfaction with their agreement to stay on the German path.

Banks had attracted interest from the United States, while Louai Ben Farhat played two matches with Tunisia. He can still switch allegiance, though, because those two appearances did not come in official matches.

Click here to read article