Lovro Majer: The next Modric living up to his billing with Rennes

Robin Bairner

• 1 May 2022 21:22 BST
• 6 min read

Lovro Majer has long been a player talked about as the next big thing of Croatian football, yet he is now starting to realise his potential after a summer move to Rennes.

With Dinamo Zagreb, he caught the eye at European level, with the likes of Milan, Atalanta, RB Leipzig and Leeds linked to a player who has been likened to his idol: Real Madrid’s Luka Modric.

Such comparisons inevitably put an unfair weight of expectation onto the young player’s shoulders, but Majer appears ready to embrace this challenge, having based his game on the World Cup runner-up. Indeed, with his long hair kept back with a ban when he plays, he even appears to have styled his look on his idol.

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Majer won widespread acclaim for his performances against Tottenham in the Europa League last season as he helped Dinamo Zagreb eliminate the Premier League side after extra-time in the last 16.

Around 18 months previous, he made his European debut in the Champions League with a brief cameo against Manchester City.

It was Rennes who ultimately won the race for the 23-year-old, electing to spend just €12 million to plunder the talent away from his homeland.

“He is a midfielder, who can play as an 8 or a 10, who can bring creativity with the quality of his passing and his understanding of play, things that we don’t necessarily have today,” Rennes sporting director Florian Maurice explained as Majer was unveiled by the Ligue 1 side.

“He is capable of being consistent with his efforts. He runs an enormous amount. He is beginning to push for the national team and he has regularly played Champions’ League and Europa League with Dinamo.

“He has a very intriguing level of technical quality. A left-footer, he is going to do us some good from set-pieces.”

Majer with Rennes

Majer initially made a slow start in France, hampered by a hip injury that prevented him making his debut until mid-October off the bench against Metz.

Indeed, he was only able to make his first Ligue 1 start in November against Lyon – but for Rennes fans it was worth the wait.

Majer was simply magnificent in dictating the flow of the game as the Breton side dismantled Lyon 4-1, with the new Croatian at the heart of their best play. He did not post a goal or an assist, yet he was clearly his side’s key player and this production has since come.

In just 18 Ligue 1 starts, he has five goals and eight assists. On Sunday, he netted twice superbly against Saint-Etienne as Rennes' push for Champions League football continued.

“He has the ability to keep the ball under pressure, to trigger assists,” head coach Bruno Genesio told Ouest France.

“His volume of play is exceptional. When you’re an attacker with a player like that behind you, it’s very pleasant.”

Croatia honours have come this season. He has now featured five times for the national team and netted his first goals - a double - against Malta.

Majer now will be aiming to follow Eduardo Camavinga’s path from Rennes to Real Madrid, where he could play alongside Modric on a weekly basis.