Once tipped for great things, now former Portsmouth goalkeeper hoping to relaunch career in Cyprus

The ex-Croatia under-18 international was tipped for big things when the Blues paid Italian side Atalanta an undisclosed fee for him in July 2018.

However, 19 months later, his Fratton Park contract was cancelled by mutual consent, months before its summer expiry.

A homesick Durin then returned to his native Zagreb seeking the next challenge in his football career.

Now aged 20, the keeper this week linked up with Apollon for a trial.

According to the Cypriot First Division side’s website, Durin is to travel with the first-team squad to Austria for pre-season as he bids to win a deal.

During his time at Fratton Park, the promising stopper was handed two loan spells at Bognor, the second of which saw him return to Fratton Park early after six outings.

Having been told he would not be handed a new Pompey deal at the end of the 2019-20 campaign, he left in February 2020.

It ended a miserable time in England for Durin, whose initial arrival was held up by work permit issues, while thigh injury problems hampered his progress.

According to former goalkeeping coach John Keeley in Pompey: The Island City With A Football Club For A Heart: ‘Petar didn’t have the best of times and mentally that took its toll on him.

‘Someone will always be interested in him and he has been playing for Croatia at under-18 level, but first and foremost he has to start enjoying life.’

Durin joined Croatian side NK Mladost Petrinja in February 2021.

He featured once as they were relegated from the Croatian third division and is now hoping to impress at Apollon.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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