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Are Manchester City 'gaming the system'? Champions' 13-club group accused of 'stockpiling' players and 'financial doping' as they control the future of hundreds of footballers across the world... with FIFA at a loss

Ante Palaversa was a highly-rated 18-year-old defensive midfielder from Croatia when Manchester City signed him on the final day of the 2019 January transfer window for a fee reported by the BBC and others of about £7million.

He was captain of the Croatia Under 19s and mentioned as a possible long-term successor to Fernandinho at the Etihad, but was initially allowed to stay on loan at Hajduk Split, where he was an academy product.

Palaversa spent 2019-20 on loan at Oostende in Belgium, the following season on loan at Getafe in Spain and then 2021-22 on loan at Kortrijk in Belgium.