Aleksandar Jovanovic set to extend contract with Bengaluru FC

The Aussie centre-back showed glimpses of his capabilities in his first season for the Blues.

Australian Aleksandar Jovanovic, who signed for Bengaluru FC last summer on a one-year deal, is all set to extent his stint with the Blues. "Aleksandar Jovanovic has signed a contract extension at Bengaluru FC," a source close to the development revealed to Khel Now.

Aleksandar Jovanovic took some time to get tuned to Indian football's demands after a solid season with A-League club Macarthur. The six-foot-five centre-back is a commanding presence in the back-line, and possesses a good passing range. The 33-year-old also fulfils the Asian foreigner quota.

Bengaluru FC bid farewell to Brazilian centre-back Alan Costa and the seasoned Indian international Sandesh Jhingan, so centre-back is a keen area of interest for the Blues. Securing Jovanovic down is the first step of a key rebuild in a vital area, as the club continues to hunt for players with ISL experience in the position.

About the player

Jovanovic went on to make 17 appearances for BFC in the Indian Super League, and took some time to nail down a starting spot in Simon Grayson's back-line. After a small injury set-back, the player found his mojo and put in some consistent displays.

His sole assist against Mumbai City helped BFC end the Islanders' unbeaten run and extend their own. He dribbled down the left, weaving past challenges, and cut it back from the by-line for Javi Hernandez to tap in. Other impressive features of Jovanovic's style of play are his reading of crossing angles and cutting down opportunities with his positioning, interceptions, and tackling.

Born in Sydney, Jovanovic has featured in clubs from six different countries. He made his professional debut for Parramatta Eagles in 2006. He then shuttled around Serbia, featuring for SuperLiga club Vojvodina, and spent the next three years on loan with FK Palic, FK Veternik, RFK Novi Sad and Hajduk Kola.

Jovanovic spent further stints with Police Tero FC in Thailand, and South Korean Clubs Suwon FC and Jeju United. He featured for Chinese Super League club Tianjin TEDA, before returning to Jeju United. He went on to represent Bosnian Premier League club Zeljeznicar Sarajevo for six months before making the move back to Australia with Macarthur.

Bengaluru FC's season

A 2022-23 season that began with hope and promise with a Durand Cup win soon fizzled out after an outstanding start, but the players dug deep and the uprising of new gems soon put the Blues back on course in the ISL.

The club made it to the ISL playoffs, where they overcame Kerala Blasters in a single-legged eliminator and League Shield winners Mumbai City FC over two legs in the semi-final. Bengaluru FC crossed paths with Mohun Bagan Super Giant in the ISL final, and lost out in heartbreaking fashion in penalties.

They fell short to Odisha FC in the Hero Super Cup final, but all in all, the season was a positive one after two years of mid-table finishes marred with inconsistency. Bringing former head coach Albert Roca back into the technical set-up will help the club overcome some massive back-room and player departures, and it is shaping up to be a very busy summer already.