An Italian football agent has made a request for Birkirkara to send their prized international striker Etienne Barbara for a one-week trial.

A Birkirkara FC spokesman said yesterday that a first division club in Croatia, which has not yet been named, is showing interest in the striker.

The Stripes will certainly not stand in the player’s way and were prepared to send him there right away, but due to having received a few knocks in the Milan game, Barbara has opted to go for the trial probably next week instead, hoping to be in the best shape possible.

The interest for Barbara, 24, was generated after he took part in some of Milan’s training sessions together with his Birkirkara team-mate Roderick Briffa. He also left his mark during the Birkirkara-Milan match where he was also close to scoring twice against such top opposition. That match was screened on Milan channel, as were the training sessions in which the two Birkirkara players took part.

Barbara is known to be very keen on going ahead with this trial. If the trial is held this week, then the striker will come back in time for the clash against Floriana next Sunday.

The past few days, Michael Mifsud was also in the news after joining England’s Championship side Coventry City, while another striker, Daniel Bogdanovic of Marsaxlokk is on trial at Watford.