Oliver Sarkic Explained

Oliver Sarkic
Fullname:Oliver Sarkic[1]
Birth Date:23 July 1997
Birth Place:Grimsby, England[2]
Height:1.84 m
Position:Forward / Attacking midfielder
Currentclub:Dečić
Clubnumber:10
Youthyears1:2006–2014
Youthclubs1:Anderlecht
Youthyears2:2014–2015
Youthclubs2:Benfica
Years1:2015–2018
Clubs1:Benfica B
Caps1:44
Goals1:5
Years2:2017
Clubs2:Fafe (loan)
Caps2:18
Goals2:2
Years3:2017
Clubs3:Leeds United (loan)
Caps3:0
Goals3:0
Years4:2018–2019
Clubs4:Leeds United
Caps4:0
Goals4:0
Years5:2018–2019
Clubs5:Barakaldo (loan)
Caps5:12
Goals5:1
Years6:2019–2020
Clubs6:Burton Albion
Caps6:28
Goals6:3
Years7:2020–2022
Clubs7:Blackpool
Caps7:5
Goals7:0
Years8:2021
Clubs8:Mansfield Town (loan)
Caps8:4
Goals8:0
Years9:2022
Clubs9:Pakhtakor Tashkent
Caps9:9
Goals9:3
Years10:2023–
Clubs10:Dečić
Caps10:51
Goals10:13
Nationalyears1:2013
Nationalteam1:Montenegro U17
Nationalcaps1:3
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:2014–2016
Nationalteam2:Montenegro U19
Nationalcaps2:9
Nationalgoals2:4
Nationalyears3:2016–2017
Nationalteam3:Montenegro U21
Nationalcaps3:10
Nationalgoals3:2
Club-Update:29 May 2024
Nationalteam-Update:1 September 2017

Oliver Sarkic (Оливер Шаркић|Oliver Šarkić; born 23 July 1997) is a professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Dečić. Born in England, he represented Montenegro at youth level. He came through the academies of Anderlecht and Benfica. He has also played for Fafe, Leeds United, Barakaldo, Burton Albion, Mansfield Town, Blackpool and Pakhtakor Tashkent.

Club career

Early career

On 1 September 2014, Sarkic joined Portuguese champions Benfica from Belgian club Anderlecht, being assigned to their youth team.[3] He debuted professionally for Benfica B in a 3–2 win over Porto B in Segunda Liga, on 11 January 2015.[4] On 14 February 2015, he scored twice in a 4–1 home win against Oliveirense.[5]

In January 2017, Sarkic joined AD Fafe on loan until the end of the season, during his loan stint he made 19 league appearances, scoring twice.[6] In July 2017, he had a trial for then Premier League side Swansea City, featuring in two U23 friendlies against Glentoran and Cliftonville.[7]

Leeds United

On 8 September 2017, Sarkic joined English side Leeds United on a loan deal until 31 December 2017, being assigned to their under-23 team.[8] [9] He signed a permanent deal with Leeds United on 11 January 2018, with the contract running until 2020 and the club option of a further year.[10]

On 1 September 2018, Sarkic joined Spanish Segunda División B club Barakaldo CF on a season-long loan.[11]

Burton Albion

On 27 July 2019, Sarkic joined EFL League One side Burton Albion on trial from Leeds, starting in their pre-season friendly against Chesterfield[12] On 1 August, he joined Albion on a permanent deal for an undisclosed figure.[13] He scored his first goal for Burton in an EFL Cup tie against Bournemouth on 25 September 2019.[14]

Blackpool

Sarkic signed a two-year deal with Blackpool on 9 July 2020.[15] On 1 February 2021, Sarkic joined League Two side Mansfield Town on loan for the remainder of the 2020-21 season.[16]

He was released by the club, in a mutual agreement, on 26 January 2022.[17]

On 3 February 2022, Sarkic joined Uzbekistan Super League side Pakhtakor until the end of the year.[18]

Personal life

Sarkic was born in England, in Grimsby, Lincolnshire.[19] His father, Bojan Šarkić[20], is a Montenegrin diplomat who was ambassador to the United Kingdom at the time of birth. His mother, Natalie Šarkić-Todd, is British and works at a European media network.[21] Bojan become ambassador of Belgium later where Oliver and his twin brother, Matija were raised. Both brothers attended the British School of Brussels[22] and played together at Anderlecht.[23] [24] On 15 June 2024, Sarkic's brother Matija died in Budva shortly after returning from the Montenegro national team camp, aged 26.[25]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueDomestic CupLeague CupContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Benfica B2014–15LigaPro1920000colspan="2"-00192
2015–162530000colspan="2"-00253
2016–17000000colspan="2"-0000
Benfica B total4450000--00445
Fafe (loan)2016–17LigaPro1820000colspan="2"-00182
Leeds United (loan)2017–18Championship000000colspan="2"-0000
Leeds United2018–19Championship000000colspan="2"-0000
Barakaldo (loan)2018–19Segunda División B1210000colspan="2"-00121
Burton Albion2019–20League One2832141colspan="2"-3[26] 0375
Blackpool2020–21League One501010colspan="2"-2[27] 090
Mansfield Town (loan)2020–21League Two400000colspan="2"-0040
2022Super League9300colspan="2"-4[28] 11[29] 0144
Career total120143151416013817

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Club list of registered players: As at 19th May 2018: Leeds United . English Football League . 22 . 16 June 2018.
  2. https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/leeds-united-sign-benfica-forward-on-loan-until-the-end-of-the-year-1-8744482
  3. Web site: Oliver Šarkić reforça Benfica . pt . Oliver Šarkić joins Benfica . 1 September 2014 . Zerozero . 17 January 2015.
  4. Web site: Benfica B - Porto B (Jornada 22 Segunda Liga 2014-2015) - Liga Portugal . 11 January 2015 . ligaportugal.pt . . 11 January 2015.
  5. Web site: Benfica B - Oliveirense (Jornada 27 Segunda Liga 2014-2015) - Liga Portugal . pt . 14 February 2015 . . 14 February 2015.
  6. https://www.fctables.com/players/oliver_sarkic-294703/ Oliver Sarkic statistics history, goals, assists, matches
  7. https://www.swanseacity.com/news/swans-u23s-pre-season-tour-round Swans U23s' pre-season tour round-up
  8. News: 8 September 2017. Leeds loan Sarkic. Leeds United. 8 September 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20180112044404/https://www.leedsunited.com/news/academy-news/22285/leeds-loan-sarkic. 12 January 2018. dead.
  9. News: 8 September 2017. Oliver Sarkic emprestado ao Leeds United. Oliver Sarkic loaned out to Leeds United. pt. S.L. Benfica. 8 September 2017.
  10. Web site: Leeds United. 11 January 2018. 11 January 2018. OLIVER SARKIC SIGNS PERMANENT DEAL.
  11. News: Good luck to #LUFC U23s forward Oliver Sarkic who joins @barakaoficial on a season-long loan. Leeds United Twitter. 1 September 2018. 1 September 2018.
  12. News: Chesterfield vs Burton. Burton Albion. 27 July 2019. 27 July 2019.
  13. News: Oliver Sarkic joins Burton Albion. Leeds United. 1 August 2019. 1 August 2019.
  14. Web site: Burton 2-0 Bournemouth . BBC Sport. 25 September 2019. 26 September 2019.
  15. Web site: Seasiders Snap Up Sarkic . Blackpool FC. 9 July 2020. 9 July 2020.
  16. Web site: Stags land Blackpool forward . Mansfield Town FC . 1 February 2021 . 2 February 2021.
  17. Web site: Oliver Sarkic Leaves By Mutual Consent. Blackpool Football Club . 26 January 2022 .
  18. Web site: ОЛИВЕР ШАРКИЧ "ПАХТАКОР" БИЛАН ШАРТНОМА ИМЗОЛАДИ. Pakhtakor Tashkent FK. 3 February 2022. 4 February 2022. Uzbek.
  19. Web site: Oliver Šarkić . 2024-07-18 . worldfootball.net . en.
  20. News: Burrows . Tom . Madeley . Steve . more . Matija Sarkic remembered: 'He was half of me - it's devastating' . 2024-08-18 . The New York Times . en-US . 0362-4331.
  21. Web site: Natalie Sarkic-Todd . The Battleground . 15 June 2024 .
  22. News: 2017-10-03 . Meet the Sarkic twins: born in England, raised in Belgium but trying to make Montenegro history . 2017-10-04 . The Independent . en-GB.
  23. News: Meet the Sarkic twins: born in England, raised in Belgium but trying to make Montenegro history . registration . Jack . Pitt-Brooke . The Independent . London . 3 October 2017 . 13 May 2022 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220418184137/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european/oliver-matija-sarkic-montenegro-u21s-fighting-to-get-european-championship-a7980711.html . 18 April 2022.
  24. Web site: Oliver Šarkić – Five Things for Leeds United Fans. The72. September 2017 . 4 September 2017. His twin brother, Matija, is on the books at Aston Villa and moved to Wigan Athletic on loan yesterday..
  25. Web site: Rotondaro . Vittorio . 15 June 2024 . Calcio in lutto: Matija Sarkic è morto a 26 anni . 15 June 2024 . Goal.com . it.
  26. Appearances in the Football League Trophy
  27. Appearances in the Football League Trophy
  28. Appearances and goal in the AFC Champions League
  29. Appearance in the Uzbekistan Super Cup