Nikola Vlasic may have convinced Torino to finally pay up for him after helping Croatia beat Japan on penalties in the World Cup.

Torino have been trying to lower Vlasic’s price since taking him on loan but he was on target in the shootout on Monday, meaning they may be more amenable to paying the full £12.7m buyout clause agreed in his initial loan deal.

The European side drew 1-1 with the impressive Asian team, who had taken the scalps of both Spain and Germany in the group stages.

But on penalties, Croatia won out, earning victory in what ended up being a woeful penalty shootout.

Vlasic scored Croatia’s first penalty; they went on to score three in total, with only Marko Livaja missing, as his shot hit the post.

Japan missed three penalties but Takuma Asano scored, though it did not end up being enough.

Croatia came through a group with Morocco, Canada, and Belgium but did so in uninspired fashion, drawing with both Morocco and Belgium and only beating Canada.

They will now gear up for a quarter-final against the winners of Brazil’s clash with South Korea on Monday evening.