Everything we know about Ognjen Bondzulic as Sunderland line up Serbian wonderkid – transfer value and stat pack
Ognjen Bondzulic is seen as one of the brightest talents in Serbia.
The 18-year-old forward who plays for Mladost Lucani has impressed, which has caught the eye of the Black Cats scouts.
Therefore, news broke on Wednesday that Sunderland are pursuing a move for Bondzulic.
Regis Le Bris has picked up a good reputation of developing players at the Stadium of Light, and Bondzulic could be his next project.
With numerous other Premier League teams eyeing the transfer, Mackem News has highlighted everything you need to know about the forward below.
How much is Ognjen Bondzulicworth?
Despite only being in the first team since March 2024, the versatile attacker has already earned a big market value.
According to Transmarkt on 8 October, Bondzulic is currently worth £1.3million.
- Bondzulic made his breakthrough at Mladost Lucani in the 2023/24 campaign
- Last season he made 16 appearances, scoring six times and assisting once.
- This campaign, he already has two goals, with multiple English teams alerted to his talent
However, if Le Bris were to pursue the transfer, they would likely have to pay more in order to beat other Premier League sides to the deal.
Sunderland had to pay a pretty penny to bring in Milan Aleksic, who also hails from Serbia, when they were in the Championship.
Therefore, it remains to be seen if the Black Cats are able to strike a deal for the attack around his current market value.
How good is Bondzulic?
Competing in the top division in Serbia, Bondzulichas impressed early in his career.
So far this season, he has netted twice in seven matches, including the opening game week fixture against IMT Belgrad.
However, it isn’t only goals that Bondzulicis capable of providing.
According to Sofascore, the attacker is a clinical finisher, netting from 18 per cent of his shots while averaging 1.6 efforts on goal per game.
| Ognjen Bondzulic stats this season | Per 90 minutes |
| Goals | 0.3 |
| Shots | 1.6 |
| Goal conversion | 18% |
| Big chances missed | 2 |
| Passing accuracy | 62% |
| Successful dribbles | 33% |
| Possession lost | 11.7 |
| Ball recoveries | 2.9 |
While the attacker needs to work on his dribbling skills, losing the ball 11.7 times a match, he also recovers it 2.9 times a game.
Sunderland need to avoid a Milan Aleksic repeat
If Le Bris does pursue Bondzulic, he needs to ensure that it isn’t a repeat of their signing of Aleksic.
While the Serbian youngster still has time to become good, the transfer currently looks far from ideal, with Aleksic currently on loan to KS Cracovia in Poland.
Signing young players from Europe will also carry risks. However, if managed properly, Sunderland could be rewarded handsomely.
Hopefully, if the Black Cats’ scouts are right about their assessment of the attacker, and they will soon strike a deal.
Enjoyed this article? Stay connected with all the latest Sunderland news, updates, and behind-the-scenes content by following us on our new Instagram account –@mackemnews247