Nikola Sarić (footballer)
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | 6 January 1991 | ||
Place of birth | Sarajevo, SFR Yugoslavia | ||
Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
Position(s) | Forward | ||
Club information | |||
Current team | AB Tårnby | ||
Youth career | |||
B 1908 | |||
2003–2007 | Herfølge | ||
2008–2009 | Liverpool | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2007–2008 | Herfølge | 3 | (0) |
2009–2011 | Liverpool | 0 | (0) |
2011–2012 | Hajduk Split | 4 | (0) |
2012–2013 | HB Køge | 15 | (0) |
2014–2016 | B 1908 | 20 | (2) |
2016–2020 | Kastrup | ||
2020–2021 | Tårnby FF | 12 | (2) |
2021– | AB Tårnby | 13 | (2) |
National team‡ | |||
2007 | Denmark U16 | 2 | (1) |
2007–2008 | Denmark U17 | 13 | (3) |
2008–2009 | Denmark U18 | 2 | (0) |
2009–2010 | Denmark U19 | 3 | (1) |
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 20 February 2022 ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 16:58, 17 December 2009 (UTC) |
Nikola Sarić (born 6 January 1991) is a Danish footballer who plays for Denmark Series club AB Tårnby.
Club career[]
Fanø Boldklub[]
Sarić joined his first club Fanø Boldklub aged six while still in a Danish refugee camp, having fled Bosnia and Herzegovina during the Bosnian War.[1]
Herfølge[]
Sarić joined professional club Herfølge aged 13.[1] He spent five seasons in total with the Danish outfit, mostly in their youth system, managing to record three first team appearances in what would turn out to be his last season at the club. In 2007, Sarić was voted by the Danish Football Association to be their 2007 U-17 Player of the Year. At the age of just 14, Sarić was invited to trials at both Tottenham Hotspur and Barcelona. Both of his trials were successful and he was offered a three-year contract at Barcelona, however he and his father rejected this opportunity as it was deemed to be "too early" in his career.[2]
During the Summer of 2008 at only 17 years of age he was sold to Liverpool, despite reported interest from the likes of Werder Bremen, Stuttgart, Bayern Munich, Ajax, AC Milan, Inter Milan and Juventus.[2]
Liverpool[]
Sarić's signing for Liverpool prompted substantial news coverage. Tottenham Hotspur, Barcelona and Charlton Athletic all attempted to sign him, resulting in a bidding war. It was reported they settled on a 3-year £500,000 contract.[3] Liverpool Daily Post called him "one of Europe's most promising young strikers" and he was compared, in style, to Zlatan Ibrahimović[4] However, his potential was to be unfulfilled as Sarić suffered numerous injuries during his time at the club's reserves, including two broken legs and a knee problem which stunted his development. In 2011, he was released after the expiry of his contract.[5]
Hajduk Split[]
After training with the club for two weeks, he signed a contract with HNK Hajduk Split on 2 June 2011. He was released by mutual consent in 2012 after financial trouble meant the club failed to pay the player his wages.
HB Køge[]
On 23 March 2012 he signed a contract with the Danish Superliga club HB Køge.[6] Injury problems continued to plague his career, however, and he managed to play only 16 games in 1 year for HB Køge in all competitions. It was announced on 5 December 2013 that Sarić would leave the club at the expiry of his contract at the end of the year.[7]
B 1908[]
On 17 February 2014, it was announced that Saric would train at former club B 1908 Amager to work on his fitness and return to the professional game.[8] On 1 April 2014, it was announced that Saric would join the club permanently.[9]
Kastrup[]
In 2016 he signed for Kastrup Boldklub in the Denmark Series.[10]
AB Tårnby[]
In July 2021, Sarić joined Denmark Series club AB Tårnby.[11] He made his competitive debut in the first round of the Danish Cup on 4 August against former club and rivals Tårnby FF. His team were knocked out after a penalty shootout.[12] His league debut came three days later – also against Tårnby FF – where he was in the starting lineup of a 5–3 win.[13]
International career[]
He has represented Denmark at youth level in all categories. According to Bosnian media Sarić is, as of March 2010, still undecided which country he will represent, should he come into consideration at senior international level, Denmark or Bosnia and Herzegovina.
On 27 July, Sarić declined a call-up from Croatia U21.[14]
Personal life[]
Sarić was born in Sarajevo, present day Bosnia and Herzegovina to a Bosnian Serb father and a Bosnian Croat mother.[15] He grew up as a refugee in Denmark after his family fled the country during the Yugoslav wars. He dated Serbian professional tennis player Ana Ivanovic in 2014.[16]
References[]
- ^ a b "LFC star reveals refugee past - Liverpool FC". Archived from the original on 3 January 2014.
- ^ a b "Saric sagde nej til Barca – Ekstra Bladet". 27 December 2007.
- ^ "Liverpool set to sign Dane". Yahoo Sports. 26 June 2008. Archived from the original on 30 June 2008. Retrieved 28 June 2008.
- ^ "Rafa Benitez to seal double capture of Nikola Saric and Andrea Dossena". Liverpool Daily Post. 27 June 2008. Retrieved 28 June 2008.
- ^ "Free Transfer List 2010/1" (PDF). Premier League. 15 June 2011. Retrieved 15 June 2011.
- ^ "Saric er HB Køges nye nummer 9". HB Køge. 23 March 2012. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
- ^ "HB Køge siger farvel til fire spillere". www.hbkoge.dk. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013.
- ^ "Nikola Saric træner med i B 1908".
- ^ "B1908 amager".
- ^ "Det største danske talent knækkede i Liverpool | fodboldtalent".
- ^ Serieklub snupper Nikola Saric hos rival, bold.dk, 23 July 2021
- ^ "AB Tårnby – Tårnby FF". DBU (in Danish). Retrieved 20 February 2022.
- ^ "AB Tårnby – Tårnby FF". DBU (in Danish). Retrieved 20 February 2022.
- ^ http://sportin.ba/vijesti.aspx?id=27490
- ^ http://sportin.ba/vijesti.aspx?id=26863
- ^ "Ana Ivanović u vezi sa fudbalerom Nikolom Sarićem?".
External links[]
- National team profile
- Nikola Saric portrait (in Danish)
- 1991 births
- Living people
- Sportspeople from Sarajevo
- Bosnia and Herzegovina people of Serbian descent
- Bosnia and Herzegovina people of Croatian descent
- Yugoslav Wars refugees
- Bosnia and Herzegovina emigrants to Denmark
- Danish people of Bosnia and Herzegovina descent
- Danish people of Croatian descent
- Danish people of Serbian descent
- Association football forwards
- Bosnia and Herzegovina footballers
- Danish footballers
- Denmark youth international footballers
- Herfølge Boldklub players
- Liverpool F.C. players
- HNK Hajduk Split players
- HB Køge players
- Boldklubben 1908 players
- Tårnby FF players
- AB Tårnby players
- Danish 1st Division players
- Croatian First Football League players
- Danish Superliga players
- Danish 2nd Division players
- Denmark Series players
- Danish expatriate footballers
- Expatriate footballers in England
- Danish expatriate sportspeople in England
- Expatriate footballers in Croatia
- Danish expatriate sportspeople in Croatia