Dejan JoveljiÃÂ (; born 7 August 1999) is a Serbian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Major League Soccer club Sporting Kansas City and the Serbia national team.
Born in Bijeljina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Joveljiàplayed with the local club Sloga Junajted, before he joined Serbian top-tier club Red Star Belgrade in his early years. After almost seven years with the club, passing the whole youth categories, Joveljiàsigned his first professional contract on 16 March 2016, along with several teammates. Joveljiàjoined the first team under coach Miodrag Boà ¾oviàin 2016, but did not play official matches during the 2016âÂÂ17 Serbian SuperLiga campaign due to mononucleosis he was diagnosed with in August 2016. In the meantime, he was listed in top 60 youth footballers by The Guardian. After he missed the rest of 2016 without training, Joveljiàreturned to the field in early 2017, playing with youth team until the end of a season. He was also nominated as one of the competitors for the Golden Boy award in 2017.
In summer 2017, Joveljiàpresented as one of the club's top 10 youth prospects and passed the whole pre-season training with the first squad. He became a regular member of the first team from the beginning of September 2017, after a furious period in the Serbian youth league. He was named as the third choice striker behind Richmond Boakye and Aleksandar Peà ¡iÃÂ. Later, on 19 September same year, Joveljiàextended his contract with the club until 2021. He spent his first time in protocol for a senior game sitting on the bench as an unused substitution for a match against Mladost LuÃÂani on 22 October 2017. He made his official debut for Red Star Belgrade on 10 December 2017, replacing Peà ¡iàin 70 minute of the Serbian SuperLiga match against Borac ÃÂaÃÂak. On 5 May 2018, Joveljiàgot his first time in the starting lineup for a senior game, scoring a twice in 5âÂÂ0 home victory over Spartak Subotica. Finally, Joveljiàscored in the last match of the season against Voà ¾dovac on 19 May 2018, for the first trophy in his professional career.
In summer 2018, after overgrown youth selection, which previously qualified to the 2018âÂÂ19 UEFA Youth League, Joveljiàstarted new season as a fully senior. Following the complete pre-season period he passed with the first team, Joveljiàwas licensed for the 2018âÂÂ19 UEFA Champions League qualifications. Following both of matches against Spartaks Jà «rmala in the first round he missed, Joveljiàstarted an opening match of the 2018âÂÂ19 Serbian SuperLiga, scoring in 3âÂÂ0 victory over Dinamo Vranje on 20 July 2018.
On 14 June 2019, Joveljiàsigned a deal with German side Eintracht Frankfurt for a fee of â¬4 million.
JoveljiÃÂ joined Belgian club Anderlecht on loan until the end of the season on 31 January 2020.
Joveljiàspent the 2020âÂÂ21 season on loan at Austrian Bundesliga side Wolfsberger AC. He finished the season as the club's top scorer.
On 5 August 2021, Joveljiàsigned a four-and-a-half-year deal with MLS side LA Galaxy. He signed as a U22 Initiative player. On 15 August 2024, Joveljiàscored a brace in El Tráfico, securing LA Galaxy's 4âÂÂ2 victory.
On 1 February 2025, JoveljiÃÂ signed a three year designated player contract with Sporting Kansas City for a transfer fee of $4 million. This marked the first cash-for-player trade in MLS history.
Being an ethnic Serb born and raised in the Republika Srpska entity within Bosnia and Herzegovina, Joveljiàhas represented Serbia since young age. After games with Serbian under-16 & under-17 national teams, Joveljiàmade his debut for under-18 level on 15 December 2015 in a match against Ukraine. Later he missed the whole 2016 due to injury and returned to the team scoring a goal in a match against Uzbekistan on 20 April 2017. Playing for the team, Joveljiànoted 6 goals on 6 matches, including games against Czech Republic and France when he scored a twice at each. In August 2017, Joveljiàwas called into the Serbia U19 squad, when he made a debut at the memorial tournament "Stevan Vilotiàâ ÃÂele". Scoring a twice in 3âÂÂ1 victory over Israel, Joveljiàcontributed to winning a trophy, after which he was elected for the most prospective player on the tournament. Joveljiàgot his first call in Serbian under-21 team by coach Goran ÃÂoroviàin December 2017. He made his debut for the team in away friendly against Qatar on 17 December 2017. While with under-19 level, Joveljiàalso scored against Bulgaria and Sweden in March 2018, missing to qualify for the 2018 UEFA European Under-19 Championship with Serbia.
He made his debut for the senior national team on 7 June 2021 in a friendly against Jamaica.
Joveljiàis a 1.80 m tall striker, who usually operates as a centre forward, being capable of playing as a winger. He has been started tracked during youth career and named as one of the most prospective players in academy, after which he joined the first team. Later he missed a period due to injury and a lack of weight, so he stayed out of the senior football since the 2016âÂÂ17 campaign. In his final season with youth team, Joveljiàaffirmed as a poacher and top goalscorer with several hat-tricks. He was also compared with Argentine footballer Mauro Icardi and a compatriot Luka JoviÃÂ. Joveljiàuses both legs and he is also a good header and penalty taker. Joveljiàwas named as a man of the match scoring three goals as a captain of the U19 squad in the youth Eternal Derby on 16 November 2017. He collected 33 goals in 14 appearances at total, during the first half-season in Serbian youth league.
JoveljiÃÂ attended a private school in Novi Sad. Besides football, he likes to play billiards and chess, and he is also a Rubik's Cube enthusiast. His personal best is 39 seconds. In 2023 he competed at the European Championships in Blitz Chess in Zagreb, Croatia. With six points from 13 games, he made it to position 330 among 556 participants.
Red Star Belgrade
LA Galaxy