Adem LjajiÃÂ (, ; born 29 September 1991) is a Serbian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Bosnian Premier League club Sarajevo.
Ljajiàbegan his career with FK Joà ¡anica, and later Partizan, with whom he made his debut in the Serbian SuperLiga and UEFA Champions League. In January 2010, he was set to join England's Manchester United, but the club withdrew its option to sign him in December 2009. Instead, he joined Fiorentina for a reported fee of around â¬8 million in January 2010. In August 2013, after three years in Florence, Ljajiàjoined Roma for an â¬11 million fee, signing a four-year contract. In July 2016, he was sold to Torino. Ljajiàwas sent on loan to Beà Âiktaà  in 2018, before signing with the Turkish side in 2019. He then joined Fatih Karagümrük in 2022. In September 2023, Ljajiàsigned with hometown club Novi Pazar. In August 2025, he left Novi Pazar and joined Bosnian side Sarajevo.
Ljajiàmade his senior international debut for Serbia in 2010. From 2012 to 2014, he was frozen out of the team by manager Sinià ¡a Mihajloviàfor objecting to singing the Serbian national anthem. Ljajiàwas part of the Serbian squad at the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He earned a total of 47 caps, scoring 9 goals, and his final international was an October 2020 Nations League match against Hungary.
Born in Novi Pazar in the Serbian region of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Ljajiàjoined Partizan at age 14 in 2005, signing from Serbian lower-tier club FK Joà ¡anica. Ljajiàwas the first player to wear the number 22 for Partizan after Saà ¡a Iliàtransferred to Galatasaray in 2005. Ljajiàmade an appearance for Partizan in the first leg of the second qualifying round of the 2008âÂÂ09 UEFA Champions League on 29 July 2008 as a second-half substitute. He made a second substitute appearance in the second leg and another substitute appearance in the second leg of the third qualifying round. He scored his first competitive goal for Partizan on 23 November 2008 in a league match against OFK Beograd.
In October 2008, Manchester United had given Ljajiàa trial, although no information was given about the length of the trial initially. On 2 January 2009, Manchester United announced the signings of both Ljajiàand his Partizan teammate, Zoran Toà ¡iÃÂ. Toà ¡iàwould join the club immediately while Ljajiàwould remain at Partizan for the remainder of 2009, joining United in January 2010.
Despite being unable to officially join the club until January 2010, LjajiÃÂ made regular trips to Manchester throughout 2009 to train with the United first team, so the club's coaches could monitor his progress. However, United decided not to take up their option to sign LjajiÃÂ due to issues surrounding the club's application for a work permit. Following the transfer's collapse, Partizan manager Goran StevanoviÃÂ claimed the situation had put LjajiÃÂ into "psychological shock" but that LjajiÃÂ was "handling the situation well". Partizan director of football Ivan TomiÃÂ said, "I think that they will regret this decision in future."
On 13 January 2010, Italian Serie A club Fiorentina announced the signing of LjajiÃÂ. After passing a medical, Ljajiàsigned a five-year contract, with Partizan receiving a reported fee of â¬8 million for the player. Ljajiàmade his debut in Fiorentina's 2âÂÂ2 draw away to Cagliari on 31 January 2010, coming on as an 82nd-minute substitute for Manuel Pasqual. However, his first half-season at the club under head coach Cesare Prandelli was spent settling into the new surroundings.
The arrival of LjajiÃÂ's compatriot Sinià ¡a Mihajloviàas head coach saw increased first-team opportunities for LjajiÃÂ. He scored his first Viola goal from the penalty spot against Lazio on 18 September 2010, which Fiorentina lost 1âÂÂ2.
On 2 May 2012, LjajiÃÂ was substituted in a match against Novara. His reaction to this substitution was to sarcastically applaud the manager Delio Rossi, who grabbed and attempted to punch LjajiÃÂ. Fiorentina announced after the match that Rossi had been dismissed as manager and that they would take proportionate measures against LjajiÃÂ. LjajiÃÂ's teammate Valon Behrami, who was on the substitutes' bench at the time of the incident, said no one, including him, had heard LjajiÃÂ insult Rossi, which disproved Rossi's claims LjajiÃÂ insulted his family. Behrami added Rossi should be ashamed for his actions as well as for lying to the media.
Ljajiàscored a brace as La Viola beat Internazionale 4âÂÂ1 on 17 February 2013.
Ljajiàsigned with Roma on 28 August 2013 for a fee of â¬11 million, potentially rising to â¬15 million depending on the club's success, with Ljajiàsigning a four-year contract. He chose the number 8 jersey, left vacant by Erik Lamela, which Ljajiàalso used with the Serbia national team. On 1 September 2013, Ljajiàmade his Roma debut in a match against Hellas Verona, replacing Alessandro Florenzi; Ljajiàscored the final goal in 3âÂÂ0 win. In his first season in Rome, Ljajiàscored 6 goals in 32 appearances.
On 30 August 2014, Ljajiàmade his 2014âÂÂ15 season debut in a 2âÂÂ0 win for the Giallorossi over Fiorentina. On 24 September, he scored his first goal of the season in a 2âÂÂ1 Roma victory over Parma. On 6 December, he scored his first brace for Roma, which allowed Roma to come back and draw the home match against Sassuolo, which finished 2âÂÂ2. On 26 February 2015, he scored his first goal in the UEFA Europa League for the club, the opener in a 2âÂÂ1 win away to Feyenoord. He concluded the season with 41 appearances and 9 goals, making him the club's second-highest goalscorer of the season, after Francesco Totti.
On 31 August 2015, Ljajiàsigned for Inter Milan on a season-long loan, with Inter paying Roma â¬1.75 million and including an option to make the transfer permanent at the end of the season for â¬11 million. On 1 December 2015, Ljajiàscored his first Inter goal in a 2âÂÂ1 away loss to Napoli.
After Inter opted not to exercise their purchase option, Ljajiàwas sold to Torino on 18 July 2016 for â¬8.5 million, plus â¬500,000 in potential bonuses.
On 31 August 2018, Ljajiàjoined Turkish Süper Lig club Beà Âiktaà  on a season-long loan. On 29 May 2019, Beà Âiktaà  signed Ljajiàon a permanent deal for a reported fee of â¬6.5 million.
On 28 September 2022, Ljajiàjoined Fatih Karagümrük on a one-and-a-half-year contract. He only became available for the team's official matches starting January 2023.
On 14 September 2023, Ljajiàreturned to his hometown and signed for Novi Pazar. It is also stated that Ljajiàhad one condition, and it concerns his salary. Namely, he asked to play for the club for free. Three days later, he scored the winning goal on his debut in a 2âÂÂ1 win over Napredak, coming on in the 58th minute as a substitute for Adetunji Adeshina.
In August 2025, LjajiÃÂ left Novi Pazar and signed a two-year contract with Bosnian Premier League club Sarajevo.
LjajiÃÂ represented the Serbia under-17 and under-19 teams. On 7 September 2008, he made his international debut for the under-21 squad in a European Championship qualification match against Hungary. On 26 October 2010, it was announced by Serbia coach Vladimir PetroviÃÂ that LjajiÃÂ would receive his first senior call-up against Bulgaria in a friendly match on 17 November 2010.
Ljajiàwas removed from his country's squad by head coach Sinià ¡a Mihajloviàafter refusing to sing the Serbian national anthem in a 2âÂÂ0 friendly loss against Spain on 28 May 2012 for personal reasons. Ljajiàpreviously signed a code of conduct established by Mihajloviàthat included, among other things, to sing the Serbian national anthem, "Boà ¾e pravde" (God of Justice). Ljajiàconfirmed MihajloviÃÂ's statement, also claiming he loves Serbia and that he has a will to play for its national team, but added he must respect himself, implying he was no longer going to play under MihajloviÃÂ.
On 17 February 2014, the new head coach of the Serbia national team, Ljubinko DruloviÃÂ, said he would not require players to sing the national anthem but to give their all for their country on the field. Ljajiàscored his first goal for the senior side on 7 June 2015 in a 4âÂÂ1 friendly win against Azerbaijan.
In June 2018, LjajiÃÂ was included in the 23-man Serbian squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, where he played in all three group matches as Serbia was eliminated during the group stage.
On 7 November 2024, Ljajiàsigned a contract with KK Novi Pazar 1969. The club announced that Ljajiàwould "be available to coach Hadà ¾eriàwhen he balances his obligations with the football team".
LjajiÃÂ is an ethnic Bosniak and a practising Muslim.
Partizan
Beà Âiktaà Â
Individual