Jamshedpur FC sign Serbian defender Lazar Markovic on one-year deal

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Jamshedpur FC have signed Lazar Markovic to complete their full quota of foreigners ahead of the ISL season, the club announced on Thursday (September 5).

"Jamshedpur FC has made a significant addition to their squad with the signing of Serbian international Lazar Cirkovic on a one-year deal," the club announced.

The 32-year-old centre-back is a massive addition to the Men of Steel's defense. The Serbian has previously played for Chennaiyin FC in the ISL, while he has also won the Serbian First Division and Serbian Cup twice with FK Partizan Belgrade from 2014-17, including a double in the 16-17 season.

"I am thrilled to join the Jamshedpur FC family, a club with a rich history of success and a significant impact on Indian football. I'm proud to be a part of this team! With a talented squad and Coach Khalid at the helm, I'm confident that we can achieve great things this season through hard work and dedication. To the amazing fans of Jamshedpur, I promise that we'll give everything we have to make you happy and proud. Your support means the world to us, so let's stand together and make this season unforgettable," Cirkovic said after joining the Jharkhand club.

The seasoned defender has played most of his senior football in the Serbian First Division, making 146 appearances for FK Rad, FK Partizan Belgrade, and Kisvarda FC. He has also had stints with Swiss side FC Luzern, Israeli side Maccabi Netanya, and Hungarian club Budapest Honved FC in the 2022-23 season.

The Serbian has played the likes of Tottenham Hotspur in UEFA competitions while playing at the youth levels for Serbia as well. He made 19 appearances for Chennaiyin last season and becomes the second player to have switched to JFC from the Marina Machans, with Jordan Murray being the other one.

Head Coach, Khalid Jamil lauded the defender as he said, "We are thrilled to welcome Lazar Cirkovic to Jamshedpur FC. His experience as a centre-back and versatility to play as a midfielder will be a valuable asset to our team. Having played in top leagues and experienced Indian football last season, we expect him to bring solidity and depth to our defense. He needs to show his game by performing his best and being solid in defense. I have a lot of expectations from him."

Cirkovic is set to wear no. 3 for the Steel Miners and is expected to feature in Jamshedpur's season opener against FC Goa.