On Aug. 25, it was announced that one of the best strikers in Major League Soccer is joining the Rave Green.
Notable for his goal scoring prowess, Serbian Superstar Dejan Joveljić adds a spark in the attack as the Sounders look to not only reignite their winning ways in 2026 but integrate a foundational offensive piece for years to come.
“I’m a guy who likes to first of all win and score,” Jovelić told SoundersFC.com. “That’s my main job. I’m best in the box, I feel that I play my game in the box and around the box, so I’m able to score with left, right, head – it doesn’t matter. And I think I’m going to make our fans happy.”
Here’s a closer look at what Joveljić brings to Seattle, by the numbers:
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1
Jovelić joins the Rave Green with an MLS Cup title already under his belt. The Serbian striker was pivotal to the LA Galaxy’s championship run back in 2024, tallying 21 goals and eight assists across all competitions. Eight of those goal contributions came in just five playoff matches, including the game-winning goal in the Galaxy’s 2-1 victory over the New York Red Bulls in the MLS Cup Final.
2.2
A lethal finisher inside the box, Jovelić combines ruthless movement off the ball with elite striking ability in critical moments. Seattle’s new striker boasts the fourth-highest xPlace (2.2) in MLS – an advanced metric that measures the quality of a player’s shot placement – and has consistently outperformed his Expected Goals throughout his time in MLS. Those two metrics combined indicate a sustainable, elite finisher.
3
In addition to securing an MLS Cup in 2024, Joveljić has won two Serbian SuperLiga titles with Red Star Belgrade (2018/2019, 2017/2018), totaling three trophies thus far in his career.
31
Despite playing for a Sporting Kansas City side that has struggled to create chances – they have the lowest xG in MLS this year and had the sixth lowest in 2025 – Jovelić has remained one of the most productive No. 9’s in the league. The Sounders’ new DP striker put up 26 goals and five assists across his 1.5 seasons with SKC.
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47
Since the start of 2024, Jovelić has amassed 47 goals in MLS regular-season and postseason play, ranking fifth league-wide behind Lionel Messi, Denis Bouanga, Petar Musa and Sam Surridge.
89
Over the course of six seasons in Major League Soccer, Joveljić has racked up 89 goal contributions – 67 goals and 22 assists – across the regular season and postseason.
150
Joveljić has started in 68% of his career matches. In 220 appearances, the forward has made the Starting lineup 150 times.
2021
Joveljić has been in the Serbian National Team system since a young age, competing with its youth teams before joining the senior team in June of 2021. Since then, the striker has grabbed 9 goals at the international level.
13,435
The striker has been in the professional ranks for nearly a decade with six different clubs and five different leagues. From 2017 to now, the forward has recorded 13,435 minutes in his career, making him a reliable and seasoned addition to the Sounders.
