Sporting Lisbon coach Abelardo has revealed that coveted Barcelona playmaker Alen Halilovic will make the decision over which club he joins on loan this summer

Barca want to loan out the Croatian youngster and a number of teams, most notably Sporting, Everton and West Ham United, are keen to sign him on a short-term deal. Hamburg were the front-runners to snap him up, but they pulled out of the deal as they could not guarantee him a certain amount of playing time this season.

“I have spoken with Halilovic to tell him what I expect of him,” Abelardois quoted as saying by Spanish news agency EFE. “At this time the decision is in the hands of the player."He is a player that will add [something] because there is nothing similar in the squad. If he comes we will be delighted to receive him and if not, [we hope that] he has good luck wherever he goes.”