Marin Šotiček is Hajduk's new player: Croatian U-21 international arrives on loan from Basel
HNK Hajduk Split officially confirmed on 29 July 2026 the arrival of Marin Šotiček, a 21-year-old Croatian winger who joins the Split club from FC Basel 1893. The two clubs agreed on a loan until the end of the 2026/2027 season, with an option allowing Hajduk to purchase his contract once the loan expires. Šotiček signed his contract on the same day and was given the number 23 shirt, the Poljud-based club announced. The financial details of the deal, including the potential purchase fee, have not been officially disclosed. By signing the young international, Hajduk achieved one of its priorities for the summer transfer window, as sporting director Robert Graf had previously emphasised the need to increase quality and competition in the wide positions.
The transfer was completed during a very intense part of the season for the Split team. On 30 July, Hajduk will play the second leg of the Europa League second qualifying round against Pafos in Limassol, following a 2:0 victory in the first match at Poljud, while on 2 August it will begin the new league season away to Varaždin. Šotiček therefore arrives at a time when Gonzalo García's team is simultaneously building its form for domestic competition and trying to secure the continuation of its European campaign. The club has not yet officially specified when the new player will be registered and ready to make his first appearance, so his introduction into the competitive rhythm will depend on administrative procedures, his physical condition and the assessment of the coaching staff.
A loan with an option to buy creates opportunities for both Hajduk and the player
The loan model with an option to buy reduces the immediate risk for Hajduk, while at the same time giving the club the possibility of retaining the player in the long term if he proves successful in Gonzalo García's system. For Šotiček, such an arrangement represents an opportunity to return to a competition he knows well and to compete for more playing time than he had during certain periods at Basel. According to reports in the Croatian sports media, other clubs also showed interest in signing him, with Rijeka mentioned most frequently, but Hajduk and Basel ultimately reached the final agreement. The Split club's official announcement does not provide details of the negotiations or identify any other interested parties, which means that this information can only be viewed as background to the transfer window.
Šotiček joined Basel from Zagreb's Lokomotiva in the summer of 2024. Croatian media reported at the time that the Swiss club had paid approximately three million euros for the transfer, while Hajduk's current official announcement states that the winger made 69 appearances for Basel over two seasons, scoring seven goals and registering four assists. The total number of appearances shows that he gained significant experience in Swiss football and European competitions, although his attacking efficiency was not consistent throughout every period. Sportske novosti reported that he appeared 28 times in the Swiss league during the 2025/2026 season, without scoring and with one assist. That is precisely why a return to familiar surroundings could be an important attempt to re-establish continuity and regain the statistics he achieved before moving abroad.
From Lokomotiva's academy to the Swiss top division
Marin Šotiček was born on 18 September 2004 in Novo Mesto, Slovenia. According to the biography published by Hajduk, he took his first footballing steps in the academies of Zrinski from Ozalj and Vinogradar from Mladina, before joining the academy of Zagreb's Lokomotiva in 2016. He established himself in the club's senior team at a very young age and already had an important role in the first team at the age of 18. According to Hajduk's official data, he made 46 appearances for Lokomotiva, scored nine goals and added one assist. Index recalled that he made his senior debut as a 17-year-old, in July 2022 against Šibenik.
He enjoyed his best period in the Croatian league during the 2023/2024 season, when he attracted the attention of several clubs from Croatia and abroad. Sportske novosti states that he scored nine goals in 30 league appearances that season, confirming that he can be a direct and decisive player in the final third of the pitch. His performances at the time were based on rapidly attacking space, cutting inside from the wing towards the penalty area and the ability to finish a move without requiring a large number of touches. The transfer to Basel was a logical step towards a stronger and more demanding competitive environment, but his two years in Switzerland also brought periods in which he did not always have a stable role.
His return to Croatian club football is therefore not merely a change of environment, but also an important developmental decision. Šotiček is still at an age when regular playing time can strongly influence the direction of his future career. Hajduk can offer him a high level of competitive pressure, matches in front of large crowds and the possibility of playing in Europe, while the club receives in return a player with experience from two different leagues. The option to buy further increases the importance of the season, because every good run of performances will also influence the decision regarding his long-term status.
Graf highlights explosiveness, one-on-one ability and work off the ball
Hajduk sporting director Robert Graf described Šotiček as a player profile that suits the team's needs. In the club's official announcement, he highlighted his explosiveness, strength and quality in one-on-one situations. According to Graf's assessment, Šotiček can use his pace to attack the space behind the last defensive line and is also useful when pressing the opposition's build-up play. The sporting director particularly emphasised that the young winger also contributes to defensive duties, which is important for a team that requires its attackers to work actively off the ball.
Such a description suggests that Hajduk does not see Šotiček merely as a player for individual runs, but also as a footballer who should participate in the collective structure. In García's football, wingers must widen the pitch at the right moment, move into the half-spaces, attack in behind and react immediately after possession is lost. Šotiček's speed could be particularly useful against high defensive lines, when space opens behind the full-backs and centre-backs. Against a deeper block, however, he will be expected to demonstrate more precise combination play, better decision-making with the final pass and greater efficiency in front of goal.
Graf also pointed out that the new player, despite his youth, has already gained experience with Lokomotiva, Basel and the Croatian U-21 national team. From Hajduk's perspective, this is an important combination: he is a footballer who still has room to improve, but who is not without senior-level experience. The club can therefore use him as a reinforcement for the current season while simultaneously assessing his potential for the period after the loan. Such an approach fits a transfer strategy that seeks to combine immediate quality with the possibility of future sporting and market value.
Competition on the wings should become more pronounced
Šotiček can play on both wings, giving the coaching staff more options when selecting the starting line-up and making changes during a match. His natural tendency towards vertical play can help Hajduk in transition, while also increasing competition among the players who already cover the wide attacking roles. This does not mean that his place in the starting line-up is guaranteed in advance. He will have to adapt to the demands of his new team, coordinate his movement with the full-backs and midfielders and demonstrate that he can maintain his intensity even when he does not have the ball.
For García, the possibility of changing the structure without replacing a large number of players is also important. A winger who can operate on both the left and right allows the coach to adjust the direction of attacks during the match, switch the roles of two players or introduce Šotiček as an attacking option against a tiring defence. His speed could be particularly effective in the closing stages of matches, when the gaps between the lines become larger. On the other hand, a player arriving from Basel will be expected not to remain merely an option from the bench, but to compete for substantial playing time during a long season.
Hajduk's schedule at the beginning of the season further explains the need for a broader squad. European qualifiers are being played alongside the opening rounds of the domestic league, and possible progression to the next round would increase the number of matches within a short period. In such circumstances, rotation is not merely a tactical choice but also a way of reducing the risk of fatigue and injuries. The arrival of another player capable of covering several attacking positions therefore has practical value regardless of whether Šotiček immediately becomes a first-team regular.
An important member of the Croatian U-21 national team
Šotiček's status in the Croatian youth national team was one of the elements Graf particularly highlighted. According to data published by Hajduk, he has made 20 appearances and scored three goals for Croatia U-21. UEFA lists him in the current qualification cycle for the 2027 European Championship as a player with five appearances, 342 minutes and one goal. He plays in an attacking role within the national team system, while international matches at youth level provide him with experience of a different tempo and different tactical demands.
Regular appearances at club level are also important for his position within the national team. Croatia U-21 will face Hungary, Ukraine and Lithuania in the continuation of the qualifiers, and through his performances for Hajduk, Šotiček will try to retain his status as one of the more experienced players of his generation. A successful season at Poljud could also open up a broader perspective for him in senior international football, although it is still too early for such assessments. The immediate objective remains to stabilise his club form and turn his potential into consistent performances.
His familiarity with some members of Hajduk's dressing room could accelerate his adaptation. After signing his contract, he said that he knew several players from the younger national-team age groups and expected their help in settling in. He added that he follows the Croatian league, appreciates Gonzalo García's football and believes he can adapt to the coach's ideas. In his first statement, the emphasis was not on individual goals, but on work, contributing to the team and winning, which was consistent with the message the club wanted to send when presenting its new player.
Šotiček faces an opportunity for fresh momentum in his career
The move to Hajduk places Šotiček in an environment with high expectations and little room for a lengthy period of adjustment. Every appearance will be closely scrutinised, particularly because the club is entering the season with the ambition of competing in the domestic league and remaining in European competitions for as long as possible. For the young winger, this can provide strong motivation, but also a test of consistency. His value will be assessed through concrete contributions: creating chances, goals, assists, pressing without the ball and the ability to repeat good performances.
For Hajduk, the key fact is that the final decision on the purchase does not have to be made immediately. During the season, the club will be able to assess how Šotiček fits into García's system, how he reacts to the demands of a major club and whether he can achieve the consistency that he lacked during part of his time at Basel. For the player, the loan is an opportunity to become an important attacking option again and confirm the quality that earned him a valuable transfer to Switzerland two years ago. The outcome of that process will depend primarily on his performances, but also on the role assigned to him by the coaching staff.
The official arrival was completed immediately before the start of the domestic season, so the opening weeks will show how quickly Šotiček can establish himself within the team. Hajduk has acquired a young, fast and more internationally experienced player than he was when he left Lokomotiva, while Šotiček returns to the league in which he produced his best senior performances. The loan with an option to buy is therefore a deal with a clear short-term objective and an open long-term perspective. The number 23 on his shirt should soon become part of Hajduk's rotation, while the pitch will provide the final answer as to whether his return to Croatian football was the right move for both parties.
Sources:
- HNK Hajduk Split – official confirmation of the loan, biographical information, statistics and statements from Marin Šotiček and Robert Graf (link)
- HNK Hajduk Split – match schedule and context of the European second leg against Pafos and the league away match in Varaždin (link)
- HNK Hajduk Split – information about the second-leg match against Pafos in Limassol and the result of the first match (link)
- UEFA – current data on Šotiček's appearances in qualification for the 2027 U-21 European Championship (link)
- Index Sport – information about the transfer from Lokomotiva to Basel, previous interest from clubs and his senior debut (link)
- Sportske novosti – background on interest from Hajduk and Rijeka and Šotiček's performance in the Swiss league during the 2025/2026 season (link)