Halilovic joins Las Palmas on loan from Hamburg

Las Palmas has been handed a temporary boost, with Croatian international midfielder Alen Halilovic joining the Canary Island minnow on an 18-month loan from Hamburg until the summer.

Los Armadillos announced the move Thursday, adding that the club have secured an option to buy stipulation for the 20-year-old talent.

"Las Palmas and German side Hamburg have agreed a loan until the end of the 2017-18 season for Croatian international Alen Halilovic," Las Palmas said in the statement."

Once regarded as one of Europe's emerging stars, Halilovic returns to La Liga a year-and-a-half after leaving Barcelona with hopes unfulfilled.

Reared at Dinamo Zagreb's celebrated academy, Halilovic moved to the Catalan giant in 2014 on a five-year deal for an initial fee of €2.2 million. Rather than seamlessly transition to the first team, the attacking midfielder spent a season with the reserves before a loan switch to Sporting Gijon.

Halilovic then transferred to Hamburg in the summer for a €5.5-milion fee with a Barcelona buy-back clause valued at €10 million, and even though the north German side sit bottom in the Bundesliga, the dynamic dribbler started just once in the league in October against Eintracht Frankfurt.

Las Palmas won't care about Halilovic's underwhelming past as much as it'll value his potential. Sitting mid-table in La Liga on the heels of last season's 11th-placed standing, and with a medical scheduled for Friday, it's likely the midfielder will be in the squad for Monday's visit from Valencia.