Clubs: NK Lokomotiva Zagreb, GNK Dinamo Zagreb, Hamburger SV

• A youth product at NK Zagreb, he joined Dinamo at the age of 17, but before he could play for the first team he spent the 2007/08 season on loan at Lokomotiva, helping the club win the third division title with seven goals in 28 games.

• Returned to Dinamo for the 2008/09 campaign and scored on his top-flight debut − a 2-0 home win against HNK Rijeka − as a first step to winning the Croatian league and cup double; also competed in the UEFA Cup, scoring his first goal in a 3-3 draw at AC Sparta Praha that took Dinamo into the group phase.

• Came to the fore in 2009/10, scoring 11 league goals in 27 starts as Dinamo retained their title. Won another domestic double in 2010/11, scoring six league goals and registering in both legs of the cup final, won 8-2 on aggregate against NK Varaždin; also started all six of Dinamo's UEFA Europa League group games.

• Made 60 representative appearances for Croatia at youth level before his senior debut as a last-minute substitute against Wales on 23 May 2010; scored on his competitive debut, a UEFA EURO 2012 qualifier against Malta in Ta' Qali on 2 September 2011, after which he participated for Dinamo in his first UEFA Champions League campaign.

• Made the trip to Poland and Ukraine with Croatia but did not get any playing time as Croatia were knocked out at the group stage. Completed move to Hamburg in August 2012.