All Whites midfielder Marko Stamenic will become a free agent in mid-2023 after turning down the chance to extend his contract with Danish Superliga club FC Copenhagen.
Under the heading “No extension of contract with Stamenic”, the club announced on its website:
“Marko Stamenic’s deal with FC Copenhagen expires in the summer of 2023, and a new contract will not be entered into between the young New Zealander and the Lions.
“Over a long period, we have been in dialogue with Marko and his agent about a new agreement, but we have not been able to reach an agreement, and we have now stopped the process around that,” says sporting director Peter Christiansen.
“Marko will continue as an FCK player until the summer, after which he will find a new challenge if an opportunity does not arise in the January window. We think Marko has developed well here, but we have to deal with the fact that he does not want to extend his agreement.”
The announcement is likely to attract interest from clubs tracking Stamenic (20), including Serbian SuperLiga club Red Star Belgrade who have already been linked with the Wellington-born player.
READ MORE: European reports link All Whites midfielder with move to Red Star Belgrade >>>>
Main photo: Marko Stamenic … has become a regular in the national team.Photo: Shane Wenzlick / Phototek.
Stamenic joins Socceroos captain Mat Ryan on the way out at Copenhagen.
After a public and strained relationship with fellow goalkeeper Kamil Grabara at the club, Ryan (30) has left Copenhagen to join AZ Alkmaar in the Dutch Eredivisie.
Stamenić made eight starts for Copenhagen in 2022, and three appearances in the UEFA Champions League in which he turned out against Manchester City (2) and Spain’s Sevilla.
Players with the same achievement include four New Zealand internationals — Wynton Rufer (with Werder Bremen), national coach Danny Hay (with Leeds United), Chris Killen (with Celtic) and Kim Wright (with Maltese club Floriana).
Stamenić played his youth football with Western Suburbs and Team Wellington, and was a graduate of the Olé Academy.
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