Hargreaves lauds Madrid target Jovic who stars for Frankfurt against Chelsea

Owen Hargreaves has heaped praise on Real Madrid target Luka Jovic after the Serbian striker gave Eintracht Frankfurt a fighting chance against Chelsea in their Europa League semi-final.

The Serbian forward has caught the eye of some of Europe's biggest clubs this season and he once again showed why by giving the Bundesliga club the lead against Maurizio Sarri's Blues on Thursday.

Frankfurt were subsequently pegged back as the Premier League side took control of the contest, but his goal - a brilliant, guided header into the far corner - ensures Adi Hutter's side will have something to take with them to Stamford Bridge next week for the second leg after a 1-1 draw at the Commerzbank Arena.

And BT Sport pundit Hargreaves was left in no doubt as to why clubs like Real Madrid are taking serious note of the forward.

He said:  'Jovic's stock has soared once again. In a game when Frankfurt weren't brilliant, he showed he is one of the best goalscorers around.

'Twenty-six goals for the season at 21 years old, he's going to be a really special player.'

Jovic joined Frankfurt on loan from Benfica at the start of last season but the German club made the deal permanent for an extraordinarily low fee earlier this year.

And the former Bayern Munich and Manchester United midfielder believes Frankfurt will make a significant profit when the summer transfer window opens.

Hargreaves added: '(His price is) unbelievable, €7million (£6million) in this market, that's unbelievable value – it looks like the deal of the century and I'm sure in the summer he will go for ten times that.'

Real Madrid are known to be watching the progress of the frontman and they will have liked what they saw at the Commerzbank Arena on Thursday night.

The home crowd were baying for an opening goal and Jovic duly obliged by spearheading a swift counter-attacking move. He played the ball wide to compatriot Filip Kostic, who delivered a tricky cross in the 21-year-old's direction.

Jovic contorted his body superbly to guide a header across the face of the goal and beyond the straining fingertips of Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.

And fellow BT Sport pundit Glenn Hoddle commented that the strike, Jovic's ninth in the Europa League this season, reminded him of Alan Shearer.

'I've got to say that's one of the best headers you'll see all season. It looks easy, but it's not,' he said.

'It's the only place he can score, I don't think he scores in the near post, he has to go across the goal. It was almost like Shearer, a fantastic goal it really was.'

Whether Europe's elite can prise Jovic away from Main may prove to be a tricky task.

The father of the former Red Star Belgrade player recently told Bild in an interview that would stay with the Eagles, especially if they qualify for the Champions League.

That remains a possibility, with Eintracht still three points ahead of fifth-placed Borussia Monchengladbach despite being held to a 0-0 draw at home to Hertha Berlin on Saturday.