Ljatifi, Posavec and Kolar Sign Until 2029

Three young Osijek players have signed professional contracts until 2029. Admir Ljatifi (19), Luka Posavec (17) and the youngest among them, Luka Kolar (16), are products of our Club and young players whose potential and commitment have earned them this recognition and the trust of the White and Blues’ sporting department.

I was given an opportunity and I’m grateful to the coach. I think I’ve adapted quite well, and I believe I can be even better on the pitch. It’s nice to feel that trust, and I also appreciate the support from the fans. It’s a pleasure to play at Opus Arena. When I drive forward with the ball, the encouragement from the stands gives me extra strength. I’ll work hard to keep going like this and give everything I have for a team that is functioning really well. Our youth is one of our strengths and I think we can achieve a lot, said Ljatifi, the North Macedonia youth international who has been at Opus Arena for just over a year.

Speaking about the Skopje-born youngster, Sporting Director Kenneth Zandvliet believes he stands out from many other wingers.

By extending Admir’s contract, we can be confident that we have a dangerous player in our attacking wide positions. His game is characterised by courage, pace, excellent footwork and determination. These are qualities we have identified as key to the way we want to play at NK Osijek. He is a great talent who brings supporters to the stadium and a player who fits perfectly into our vision for the attacking line. We are confident that we will all enjoy watching him play and that he will bring great value to our team. We wish Admir the best of luck and every success in the years ahead!

Posavec Quickly Adapts to Senior Football

The wider Croatian football public also had the opportunity to get to know Posavec this summer. Born in Osijek, his strong performances at U17 and U19 level did not go unnoticed by the coaching staff of our first team.

To be honest, I didn’t imagine I would get my opportunity with the first team this quickly. However, a new coaching staff arrived along with a coach who believes in young players, and already during pre-season I could see that I might be part of his plans. I’m grateful for his trust and I’ll try to repay it with the best performances possible. I’ve realised that even the youngest players in our team can compete with much more experienced opponents, and that has given us even more confidence. The energy throughout the team is excellent and we have plenty to look forward to, said Posavec, who has been selected for the Croatia U18 national team.

The Sporting Director sees exceptional potential in Luka at right-back.

Luka has signed the first professional contract of his career, and we at the Club are very pleased with his development. He is already making appearances for the first team and progressing extremely quickly. Posavec came through our Academy and that is something we are particularly proud of. He is a modern full-back who fits perfectly into our attacking style of play. He reads the game very well and possesses exceptional pace and technical ability. We are confident that he can make a significant contribution to our Club in the near future and we wish him every success on that journey!

We See the Future in Kolar

Luka Kolar comes from Podravske Sesvete and joined the White and Blues two years ago from Slaven Belupo’s U15 team.

First of all, I would say that, together with all the other U17 players, I’m proud of Izak Ježić! Until just a few days ago, he was sharing the dressing room with us, and we all saw how he played against Dinamo. It is up to me and the others from our generation to continue working hard in training and patiently wait for our HNL debuts. I most often play as a centre-forward, but I think I’m also comfortable in the attacking midfield position. I’m happy and grateful to have signed a professional contract, said Kolar, a Croatia U17 international.

When it comes to the 16-year-old, Zandvliet also has nothing but praise for him.

We are delighted to have a player like Luka in our Academy! He is a striker who can score from all kinds of positions, he is quick and technically gifted on the ball. Those are excellent qualities that we need to continue developing while helping him achieve his goal – playing for the NK Osijek first team. We are pleased to have signed him to a contract until 2029 and are confident that he will achieve his goal with us. We wish him many more wonderful years of development and progress!