Nikola Saric
Encyclopedia
Nikola Sarić is a Danish
professional footballer, currently playing for HNK Hajduk Split
in the Croatian First League
. Sarić is a member of the national youth sides of Denmark
.
. 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.
During summer 2008, at only 17 years of age, he was sold to Liverpool
.
, 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. Liverpool Daily Post
called him "one of Europe’s most promising young strikers." In the first two years that he's been in Merseyside, Sarić has played for the club's reserves, with no first team appearances. In 2011, he was released after expiry of his contract.
on 2 June 2011.
at youth level in all categories. According to Bosnian media Sarić is, as of March 2010, still undecided which country he will represent at senior international level, Denmark
or Bosnia and Herzegovina
.
On 27 July, Sarić declined a call-up from Croatia U21
.
, present day Bosnia and Herzegovina
to a Bosnian Serb father and a Bosnian Croat mother. He grew up as a refugee in Denmark
after his family fled the country during the Yugoslav wars
.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
professional footballer, currently playing for HNK Hajduk Split
HNK Hajduk Split
HNK Hajduk Split, commonly referred to as Hajduk Split or simply Hajduk, is a Croatian football club founded in 1911 and based in the city of Split. The club's home ground since 1979 is the 35,000-seater Poljud Stadium and the team's traditional home colours are white shirts with blue shorts and...
in the Croatian First League
Croatian First League
The Prva HNL , also known as 1. HNL or for sponsorship reasons the MAXtv Prva Liga, is the top Croatian football league competition, established in 1992. The winners qualify for the UEFA Champions League...
. Sarić is a member of the national youth sides of Denmark
Denmark national football team
The Denmark national football team represents Denmark in association football and is controlled by the Danish Football Association , the governing body for the football clubs which are organized under DBU...
.
Herfølge
Sarić began his career at HerfølgeHerfølge Boldklub
Herfølge Boldklub is a Danish football club founded in 1921. It is based in Herfølge, a southern suburb of Køge in the eastern part of Zealand. In 2009, the club shared it's licence, and merged it's professional football with Køge BK to form HB Køge....
. 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.
During summer 2008, at only 17 years of age, he was sold to Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
.
Liverpool
Sarić's signing for Liverpool prompted substantial news coverage. Tottenham HotspurTottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
, Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
and Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
all attempted to sign him, resulting in a bidding war. It was reported they settled on a 3-year £500,000 contract. Liverpool Daily Post
Liverpool Daily Post
The Liverpool Daily Post is a newspaper published by Trinity Mirror in Liverpool, Merseyside, England. It is published Monday to Friday and is published in Merseyside, Cheshire, and North Wales editions, and is a morning paper...
called him "one of Europe’s most promising young strikers." In the first two years that he's been in Merseyside, Sarić has played for the club's reserves, with no first team appearances. In 2011, he was released after expiry of his contract.
Hajduk Split
After training with the club for two weeks, he signed a contract with HNK Hajduk SplitHNK Hajduk Split
HNK Hajduk Split, commonly referred to as Hajduk Split or simply Hajduk, is a Croatian football club founded in 1911 and based in the city of Split. The club's home ground since 1979 is the 35,000-seater Poljud Stadium and the team's traditional home colours are white shirts with blue shorts and...
on 2 June 2011.
International career
He has represented DenmarkDenmark national football team
The Denmark national football team represents Denmark in association football and is controlled by the Danish Football Association , the governing body for the football clubs which are organized under DBU...
at youth level in all categories. According to Bosnian media Sarić is, as of March 2010, still undecided which country he will represent at senior international level, Denmark
Denmark national football team
The Denmark national football team represents Denmark in association football and is controlled by the Danish Football Association , the governing body for the football clubs which are organized under DBU...
or Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team
The Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team is the national football team of Bosnia and Herzegovina, governed by the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina...
.
On 27 July, Sarić declined a call-up from Croatia U21
Croatia national under-21 football team
The Croatia national under-21 football team, also known as Croatia under-21 or Croatia U21 is a youth association football national team which represents Croatia at this age level and is a feeder team for the Croatia national football team....
.
Personal life
Sarić was born in SarajevoSarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
, present day Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
to a Bosnian Serb father and a Bosnian Croat mother. He grew up as a refugee in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
after his family fled the country during the Yugoslav wars
Yugoslav wars
The Yugoslav Wars were a series of wars, fought throughout the former Yugoslavia between 1991 and 1995. The wars were complex: characterized by bitter ethnic conflicts among the peoples of the former Yugoslavia, mostly between Serbs on the one side and Croats and Bosniaks on the other; but also...
.