Ajdin Zeljković

Ajdin Zeljkovic
Personal information
Date of birth (1997-12-26) 26 December 1997 (age 26)
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)[1]
Position(s) Forward, Winger
Team information
Current team
 IFK Värnamo
Number 10
Youth career
Gunnilse IS
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013–2016 Gunnilse IS
2017–2018 GAIS 18 (3)
2018 → Ljungskile SK (loan) 5 (3)
2019 IK Oddevold 12 (1)
2019–2020 Lindome GIF 44 (14)
2021–2022 Örgryte IS 41 (26)
2022– IFK Värnamo 73 (16)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 13 November 2024

Ajdin Zeljkovic (born 26 December 1997) is a Swedish footballer who plays as a forward or winger for IFK Värnamo in Allsvenskan.[2]

Zeljkovic began his career with local Gothenburg club Gunnilse IS. In 2016 he scored 15 goals in 26 games, and was picked up by GAIS.[1] Here, he failed to break through and chose not to renew his contract. He expressed dissatisfaction with the purported wage, his playing time until then, as well as his role in the team.[3]

Zeljkovic's goalscoring form started picking up in 2020 with Lindome GIF, scoring 12 goals.[1] In 2021 he became top goalscorer of the Superettan with 18 goals for his new club Örgryte IS. Interest was reportedly shown by IFK Göteborg, AIK, Hammarby IF, IF Elfsborg and a Norwegian club FK Haugesund. Some of these placed transfer bids, but Örgryte desired upwards of 5 million kr.[4][5][6]

A transfer did not happen during the 2021–22 winter window, but when Zeljkovic scored 8 goals in the first half of 2022, despite Örgryte performing badly, he was finally picked up by Allsvenskan club IFK Värnamo. Zeljkovic was Örgryte's largest sale "in over a decade".[7][8]

Zeljkovic started the 2024 Allsvenskan in good scoring form, among others securing Värnamo's first victory with the lone goal in the match against Sirius.[9]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Ajdin Zeljkovic". Fotbolltransfers (in Swedish). Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  2. ^ Ajdin Zeljković at Soccerway. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  3. ^ "Ajdin Zeljkovic: "Jag vill till en klubb där man tror på mig"" (in Swedish). Fotbolltransfers. 16 January 2019. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  4. ^ Junelind, Hector; Wulcan, Markus (18 November 2021). "Här är klubbarna som jagar skyttekungen" (in Swedish). Expressen. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  5. ^ Wulcan, Markus (8 February 2022). "Norsk toppklubb jagar superettans skyttekung" (in Swedish). Expressen. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  6. ^ Staifo, Ninib (23 February 2022). "Uppgifter: Haugesunds bud på Zeljkovic nobbas" (in Swedish). Fotbolltransfers. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  7. ^ Julin, Max (10 July 2022). "Officiellt: Ajdin Zeljkovic lämnar Örgryte för Värnamo - störst försäljning på tio år" (in Swedish). Fotbollskanalen. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  8. ^ Werdelin, Lucas (16 July 2022). "Zeljkovic om klubbvalet - och tuffa beslutet att lämna Öis: "Känns som att man sviker dem"" (in Swedish). Fotbollskanalen. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  9. ^ "Säsongens första Värnamo-vinst – Zeljkovic hjälte". Expressen (in Swedish). TT. 20 April 2024. Retrieved 20 April 2024.