Ilicevic turns 16 on Saturday, October 31, and could make his senior debut just one day later. If introduced against Hamburg, he would equal Youssoufa Moukokoâs record as the youngest player to appear in the Bundesliga, having made his debut at the age of 16 years and one day.
Eintracht Frankfurt coach Adi HĂŒtter has confirmed that the teenager will be in the matchday squad, although any appearance will depend on the circumstances of the game. The club are aware of the opportunity to give one of their most highly regarded academy players an early introduction to senior football, but are also conscious of the need to manage his development carefully.
Ilicevic has attracted attention across Europe and is considered one of the leading talents in his age group. He is an attacking midfielder with a strong technical foundation, an ability to create chances through his passing and the capacity to threaten goal himself.
His former coach Alexander Meier has been particularly impressed by the teenagerâs ability to deal with difficult situations and influence matches.
âHe can solve difficult situations, is technically good and has a strong passing game, through which he repeatedly brings his team-mates into play. He is also dangerous himself in front of goal, because his finishing combines accuracy and power. That is exceptional for his age,â Meier said.
HĂŒtter has also been impressed by Ilicevicâs work without the ball, an important element of the coachâs approach. Frankfurt president Mathias Beck has urged patience, despite the excitement surrounding the youngster.
âI am delighted that we have such a talent at Eintracht who has come through our academy. He has consistently played at higher levels in the youth teams and has made a clear impression. At the matches at Riederwald, we have always been absolutely delighted with him. We are looking forward to seeing him, but the boy must be developed carefully,â Beck said.
Ilicevic has represented Germany at youth level, most recently with the Under-17s, but also possesses Croatian nationality. The Croatian federation has already expressed interest in persuading him to switch international allegiance, although he remains part of the German youth set-up.
Football runs in the family. His uncle is former Croatia international Ivo Ilicevic, who played in the Bundesliga for clubs including Bochum, Kaiserslautern, Hamburg and NĂŒrnberg.
The teenagerâs development has attracted attention from some of Europe's leading clubs. Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, AC Milan and Inter Milan have all been linked with an interest in his progress.
Frankfurt are determined to keep control of his pathway. The club gave him a development contract in July, with a professional agreement already arranged to take effect when he turns 18 in October 2028. He has also been viewed internally as a potential long-term successor to Can Uzun, should the Turkey international eventually move to a leading European club.
The immediate focus, however, is Sunday's match. A debut against Hamburg would place Ilicevic alongside Moukoko in the Bundesliga record books, while giving Frankfurt another opportunity to introduce a highly rated academy product to first-team football.