Barca loan Croatia teenager Halilovic to Gijon

Madrid: Sporting Gijon have struck a deal to take Barcelona`s teenage Croatia attacking midfielder Alen Halilovic on loan for the season, the La Liga clubs said on Friday.

The 19-year-old, nicknamed the `Balkan Messi` after Argentina forward Lionel, joined Barca from Dynamo Zagreb last year and made 30 appearances for the B side, scoring four goals.

He made his first-team debut in January in a King`s Cup match against Elche and also featured for Luis Enrique`s outfit on their recent pre-season tour of North America.

He became the youngest player to feature for Croatia in June 2013 a week before his 17th birthday and was the youngest to play for Zagreb the previous year.