Forgotten Croatian international finds new career in Saudi Arabia after career decline

Former Croatian international Tin Jedvaj has found a new club in Saudi Arabia, signing with Al Shabab. The six-time Saudi champions officially confirmed the transfer of the defender, who was once tipped for a stellar European career.

Jedvaj's career trajectory took a downturn after winning a silver medal with Croatia at the 2018 World Cup. Despite early promise, his star began to fade, leading to his exclusion from the national team. He was previously with Greek club Panathinaikos, with whom he had a contract for the upcoming season. However, the new coach did not count on him, allowing Jedvaj to seek a new team.

His career began in Dinamo Zagreb's youth system before moving to Roma. After a loan spell at Bayer Leverkusen, the German club bought him for 7 million euros in 2015. His playing time decreased, and Leverkusen sold him to Augsburg in 2019. He was later transferred to Moscow for 4 million euros, with loan spells in the UAE and Greece.

Zdravko Mamić, a prominent figure in Croatian football, once spoke about Jedvaj's transfer. He claimed that Jedvaj and Alen Halilović were supposed to move to Tottenham, but the deal fell through at the last minute. Mamić detailed a lucrative offer for the young players and their families, which was ultimately rejected by Halilović, who demanded a percentage of Dinamo's transfer fee.