It’s official: Dejan Joveljić is the newest Designated Player for Sounders FC. One of the most clinical strikers in MLS, Joveljić’s signing provides an immediate injection of elite quality into Seattle’s attack.
“When you say Seattle, you mean winning,” Joveljić told SoundersFC.com. “This club wants the players who are ready to fight and ready to fit in with a great mentality. I think I’m one of them. And right now, we are struggling a little bit. But when every player is healthy, this team is definitely scary.”
Here are four reasons to be excited about Joveljić joining the Sounders.
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Championship Pedigree
Even before coming to Major League Soccer as a U-22 initiative signing with the LA Galaxy back in 2022, Joveljić already boasted an impressive resume. He won back-to-back Serbian SuperLiga titles with Red Star Belgrade in his first two seasons as a professional before earning a transfer to Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga. While on loan with Austrian Bundesliga side Wolfsberger AC in 2020-21, he posted 19 goals across all competitions – including two in the Europa League.
Fast forward to 2024 – his third season in MLS – and Joveljić was integral to the LA Galaxy winning MLS Cup that season. The Serbian striker led the team in scoring that year with 21 goals – six of which came in the postseason – and scored the game winners in the Western Conference Final and MLS Cup Final. He’s tied for fourth among active MLS players for the most postseason goals.
Proven Scorer
If there’s one thing you need to know about Joveljić, it’s that he is capable of breaking a game open and scoring at any moment. Even in his first two seasons in LA, when he largely came off the bench as an impact sub, he posted 13 goal and five assists in 1700 regular season minutes. During his two seasons as the primary starting No. 9 for the Galaxy, he registered 28 goals and 12 assists in MLS play.
After making the move to Sporting Kansas City, Joveljić continued scoring at a ridiculous clip. In one-and-a-half seasons, he put up 26 goals and five assists for a team that finished toward the bottom of the league in chance creation.
His 47 goals since the start of the 2024 MLS season rank fifth behind only Lionel Messi, Denis Bouanga, Petar Musa and Sam Surridge. Put simply, he is among the most elite attacking players in Major League Soccer.
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Immediate Impact, Foundational Piece
With Joveljić’s track record across two MLS clubs, he is capable of hitting the ground running and fitting seamlessly into a Sounders team that needs reinforcements in the attack.
But beyond addressing an immediate need, Joveljić is the type of lethal goalscorer you can build your attack around. Signed through 2030, the Sounders now have an elite finisher in the prime of his career that can serve as a cornerstone of the offense for years to come.
Tactical flexibility
Capable of operating as a lone No. 9 or in a two-striker setup, Joveljić provides the Sounders positional and tactical flexibility for the rest of this season and beyond.
As soon as this weekend, he could slot in right away as a leading striker in Head Coach Brian Schmetzer’s preferred 4-2-3-1 set up. And with players like Jordan Morris, Cristian Roldan, Paul Arriola, Hassani Dotson and Yeimar slated to return from injury in the coming weeks, the team has the ability to shift into a 4-4-2 or a 3-5-2 as well.
