Transfer Tuesday: Zlatko Horvat leaves PPD Zagreb for Metalurg!
Major changes continue to happen in the PPD Zagreb's roster. Still, the news about Zlatko Horvat's transfer to Metalurg surprised all the handball fans.
Horvat decided to leave his hometown and a club where he spent his 20-year-long career. He moves to Metalurg, eager to try himself in a new environment and face a new challenge. As announced by the club from Skopje, Horvat has signed a one-year contract and will share the locker room with another SEHA face Branko Kankaras, who also signed for Metalurg.
In the 'Lions' jersey he won all the Croatian Championship titles from 2002 to the present and all the Croatian Cup titles from 2003.
As for the SEHA League, he is, along with Stojanche Stoilov, the only player who was a part of all nine SEHA seasons. He is also an all-time best scorer of the League with 688 goals, as well as top scorer of the SEHA Final 4 tournaments with 88 goals! Besides numerous individual awards, he added one SEHA title in 2013 to his treasury. Given the fact that he was named MVP of the SEHA Final 4 in 2012, as well as the best right winger of the final tournament in 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2019, it is not a surprise to have him as a best right winger of all SEHA final tournaments!
Not only that he was a key factor in PPD Zagreb, he is also a very important piece of all of the positive results Croatian national handball team has achieved in their triumphant past. As a result, Zlatko Horvat has bronze from the London Olympics, silver and bronze from the World Cup and two silver and two bronze medals from the European Championships.
All of the facts above clearly illustrate what kind of a player Zlatko is. We wish Horvat, our flying right winger, the walking legend and a fan's favourite good luck on his new adventure. No doubt that he will leave a mark in Skopje, as well.
Thank you, Zlaja!