Manchester City have joined the interest for Dinamo Zagreb starlet Mateo Kovacic.

The Sun says City have stepped up their pursuit of whizkid Kovacic, dubbed the 'Croatian Lionel Messi'.

City chiefs held a meeting yesterday with Kovacic's representative with a view to signing the Dinamo Zagreb midfielder.

Kovacic, 17, is one of the hottest prospects in world football and has been linked to Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester United.

The rising star broke into the Dinamo first team in 2010 and already has two caps for the Croatia Under-21s.