Scored in a preseason match: #USMNT hopeful Rokas Pukstas scored once in a 45-minute shift during Hajduk Split's 4-0 victory over Shkëndija today. Hajduk will next take on Ukrainian team Cherkasy on Saturday before facing Cejle on July 1. They open Europa League qualifying on 7/9 against Žilina.— Larry Henry Jr (@lhenry019) June 23, 2026
ESCLUSIVA: Non solo Durdov, la Lazio segue anche Rokas Pukstas dell'Hajduk Spalato. Centrocampista classe 2004 di origini lituane ma passaporto americano. Perno della squadra croata con Gattuso, lo scorso anno, ha totalizzato 37 presenze stagionali. Vanta 14 presenze…— Football Market (@fbmaarket) June 13, 2026 From a week or two ago….. Most certainly the Lazio “interest” evaporated the second his homeboy Gattuso accepted the Lazio gig. Guarantee that interest dried up faster than a puddle in Phoenix.
Because Serie A is a revolving door of the same 8–10 Italian managers bouncing between clubs each season. It’s become a league of familiar faces rather than fresh ideas. When the likes of Conte, Sarri, Pioli, Spalletti, Gasperini, and Giampaolo cycle through teams and it makes you question whether a lack of new and younger managers in Serie A is contributing to the lack of Italian talent. ---
Fresh talent = fresh minds as well as fresh bodies Italian foot is rapidly becoming like English football in the 80s: the same tired old ideas, methods, tactics and individuals endlessly recycled
🚨 𝐔𝐏𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄: Hajduk are prioritising sales of their top young talents this summer to generate around €15M.Rokas Pukštas: €5-6M (interest from Bundesliga & Serie A)Niko Sigur: €3-4M (Belgium, Netherlands, MLS)Šimun Hrgović: €2-3M (Hajduk don't want to sell, unless an… pic.twitter.com/auxYA8VHv1— Croatian Football (@CroatiaFooty) June 30, 2026
Excited to see Rokas move this summer and hopefully in USMNT camp in September or October (which should be used to bring some new faces in and evaluate them).
Before he moves (maybe??), Split have a home EL qualifier today vs. Slovak club MŠK Žilina. Kickoff at 2pm EST, although I don't know if/where this will be televised.
Finished 2-0 to Split. Kind of expected, as Split's UEFA ranking is 167 while Žilina's is 311. They shouldn't have any problems in the return leg
🚨 𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐒𝐓: Rokas Pukštas is attracting interest from Serie A side Genoa, with contacts already reportedly established between the Italian club and the Hajduk midfielder’s representatives.Genoa view the 21-year-old as a key midfield target this summer.[Tuttomercato] pic.twitter.com/2COVKJ5CD8— Croatian Football (@CroatiaFooty) July 5, 2026
Genoa are interesting. They're not afraid to spend money and they raise a lot of it from player sales. Could eb a useful stepping-stone for the lad
He and Split squeak by Slovakian powerhouse Zilia 3-2 on aggregate in the first round of Europa League. He's officially cup tied for that one at least.
Disappointed in the lack of movement here. Time for him to push on and test himself at a higher level. No lack of reported interest but its needs to get resolved obviously.
With another 6 weeks before the transfer windows start closing, there's a good deal of time and I tend to see the lack of movement as a net positive. He will have some good options but he doesn't have the profile of a Top 5 side's key summer signing so a deal is likely to be dependent on movement(s) at the buying end. I'd expect this to go fairly close to the wire After 4 seasons playing senior football, you're right about it being time to move on. No disrespect to the Croatian league, but it's a league full of guys like Rokas; young, with Top 5 resale potential or older Croats seeing out their careers. It's not a league to spend your career in and with Split crashing out of the Conference League qualifiers during this period - or even making them this year - it's a diminished platform.
Rokas Pukštas ('04🇺🇸🇱🇹) v PAFOS#USMNT #HNKHAJDUK pic.twitter.com/VhVlM5Fr0e— why (@comp0us) July 23, 2026
Only for the qualifying rounds. He can play for another team in the league phase. https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsl...gue-league-phase-squads-player-registration-/ “Can clubs include players who were fielded in qualifying for the Champions League or in either of the other men's club competitions? Yes. A player who has been fielded in the preliminary round, or in the first, second or third qualifying round, or in the play-offs of the Champions League, UEFA Europa League or UEFA Conference League, is entitled to play in the Champions League, Europa League or Conference League for another club as from the league phase.”
Thanks for that info! Did not know that, but is actually logical given how much these tournaments have expanded over the years. Good to know it doesn't limit his options nor his attractiveness to potential buyers. Had a few cases on football manager where I passed on a player because he was already cup tied for a major tournament
Or whether an abundance of ageing and timeworn managers in Serie A is contributing the the lack of emerging Italian talent. All of those guys are of the same generation (aged 57-67), coming of age when Italian football was either at or even the pinnacle of world football. New ideas and new methods come in new bodies (e.g. Fergie and Wenger were 45 & 46 when they took over at United and Arsenal). The old guard will have to retire before new Italian talent can possibly emerge. The question is whether that talent is there and whether the big clubs are willing to, not gamble on but back them if it is. To me, that is the bigger question. The Big 5 clubs remember when they were the giants of European football and so do the fans. The demand for a "big name" in the dugout is likely to block the way for a while I'm afraid