Striker Jovanovic Joins Liverpool
After months of speculation, Liverpool have completed the signing of Serbian international forward Milan Jovanovic. The 29-year-old’s current contract with Belgian side Standard Liege expired, so the striker will join the team free of charge.
Jovanovic had allegedly signed a contract at the beginning of 2010, when Liverpool’s Spanish manager Rafael Benitez was still in charge of the team. But when Benitez left Liverpool to coach Italian champions Internazionale in June, it became unclear whether Jovanovic would follow through on the deal or if he would accompany Benitez to the San Siro.
With the deal officially announced on Thursday, it can now be confirmed that new manager Roy Hodgson will see Jovanovic join his squad for the new season.
Signing a three-year deal at Livepool’s training ground before meeting some of his new teammates, the striker seemed pleased that the deal eventually materialized.
"It is an honour for me to sign for one of the biggest clubs in football," he said to Liverpool’s official website, expressing his desire to get to know his new team on and off the pitch.
"I cannot wait to start working with the manager and I'm looking forward to joining up with my new team-mates on our Swiss training camp,” he added.
Jovanovic was Serbia’s star performer in the world cup, where disappointing defeats to Ghana and Australia led to their exit at the group stage. Against semi-finalists Germany, though, Serbia managed to come away with a surprise 1-0 victory.
Finishing off a free-flowing attacking move with a decisive strike, Jovanovic ran straight towards the Serbian supporters to celebrate his goal. It was the highlight of his international performances, the journey to which had been over a decade in the making.
Between 1999 and 2003, Jovanovic played for FK Vojvodina, the same club Serbian greats Gojko Kacar, Siniša Mihajlovic and Miloš Krasic once played for.
Jovanovic left Vojvodina to play one season for Ukranian side Shaktar Donetsk in 2003/2004, but was found unfavoured by German coach Berndt Schuster and left for Lokomotiv Moskva, where he played between 2004 and 2006.
At Standard Liege, Jovanovic won the Belgian Footballer of the Year award in 2008, and scored an impressive 52 goals in 116 appearances between 2006 and 2010.
In his first season with the club, Jovanovic bagged 24 goals in 39 appearances. His dribbling qualities earned him the nickname “Snake” with Standard Liege’s fans.
At the end of the 2007/2008 season, the striker’s 18 goals helped the side win their first league title for 25 years.
The squad included young prospect Marouane Fellaini, who went on to sign for English side Everton ahead of the next season and to be hailed as Belgian football's great promise.
Despite Fellaini’s presence, though, it was Jovanovic who had been the star of the league-winning team.
Liverpool will have the option of playing the left-footed Jovanovic as a striker or in left-midfield. Jovanovic is known for his sensitive left foot and a rapid turn of pace that somewhat surprisingly complement his commanding physical stature.
At 1.83 metres, the Serbian should cope well with the physical aspect of the English game, which usually poses the greatest obstacle for imported players in the Premier League.
Critics may say that Jovanovic is a bargain, low-profile signing, but with Hodgson's faith and the trust of his teammates, he may prove to be just what Liverpool need.
After all, several big European clubs, among them Italian side AC Milan and Spanish teams Valencia and Real Madrid, had shown interest in his services prior to his move to the UK.
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