Mateja Gašić is Vojvodina's new signing: right-back signs contract until summer 2030
FK Vojvodina officially confirmed the arrival of Mateja Gašić from Radnik Surdulica on August 27, 2026. The 23-year-old right-back signed a contract until the summer of 2030, giving the Novi Sad club a long-term reinforcement in a position where it had limited rotation options during recent months.
Vojvodina completed the transfer of Mateja Gašić after several days of publicly confirmed negotiations with Radnik Surdulica. The Novi Sad club announced that the 23-year-old defender had become a new player of the "Old Lady" and that the contract had been signed until the summer of 2030. This confirmed the deal announced at the beginning of the week by Vojvodina president Dragoljub Zbiljić, when he said that an official offer had been sent to Radnik and that the club wanted to increase competition in the defensive line. Gašić arrives in Novi Sad after three seasons in Surdulica, during which he established himself as one of the more notable full-backs in the Serbian championship. According to Vojvodina's official announcement, he played 108 matches for Radnik in all competitions, scored three goals and recorded 13 assists.
Long-term contract as a signal of Vojvodina's sporting plan
The contract until the summer of 2030 shows that Vojvodina does not see Gašić merely as a short-term solution for the current season. He is a player who was born in Belgrade on February 16, 2003 and who has already accumulated significant senior experience, even though he has only just entered his mid-twenties. His primary position is right-back, while data from specialized football databases indicate that he can also perform other roles along the right side of the pitch, giving the coaching staff additional tactical flexibility. In recent years, Vojvodina has sought to combine more experienced players with footballers who still have room for development and potential market value, and the four-year contract with Gašić fits that profile of signing. The club did not disclose the transfer fee or other financial details of the transfer in its official announcement.
Some Serbian media reported that the value of the deal, including possible bonuses, could reach around 450,000 euros, but that amount has not been officially confirmed by either Vojvodina or Radnik. It should therefore be regarded as a media estimate rather than an officially announced transfer price. More important than the figure itself for Vojvodina is the fact that it has signed a player who was a regular starter and captain in his previous environment and who knows the demands of the Mozzart Bet Serbian SuperLiga well. Such a profile generally reduces the time required to adapt to the pace of competition, opponents and conditions in the domestic league. Gašić is also joining the team in the middle of a season that is already in full competitive rhythm, so the speed of his integration will also depend on the assessment of coach Marko Savić.
From Rad and the captain's armband to establishing himself in Surdulica
Gašić developed as a footballer at Rad, the Belgrade club known for its long tradition of working with young players. According to biographical information published by Vojvodina, he went through all of Rad's youth categories, reached the first team and later became captain. This part of his career is important for understanding his development: he was given responsibility very early, and from the environment in which he matured as a player he moved to Radnik in the summer of 2023. Specialized statistical databases record that he played senior football for Rad before his transfer to Surdulica, while at Radnik he gradually developed into a right-back with a large number of appearances. When presenting the new player, Vojvodina particularly emphasized his progress over the past three seasons.
His period at Radnik was also marked by changes in the club's competitive status. Gašić played with the Surdulica side in the SuperLiga, then in the Serbian First League, and subsequently once again in the top division after the club returned to the SuperLiga. This sequence gave him experience of different competitive circumstances: a battle against relegation, a season in which the pressure of returning to the elite had to be handled, and renewed confirmation at the highest level. In the 2025/26 season, Radnik was one of the positive surprises of the championship, while Gašić wore the captain's armband and attracted interest from other clubs. During the summer, his name was also linked with the foreign market, with Spanish newspaper AS reporting interest from Castellón, while Serbian sources also mentioned clubs from Italy. In the end, Vojvodina was the most concrete.
The transfer began with an official offer to Radnik
The path to the signing could be followed almost day by day. Meridian Sport reported on August 24 that Vojvodina had sent an offer to Radnik, and Novi Sad club president Dragoljub Zbiljić confirmed the interest at the time. In a statement to that outlet, he explained that Vojvodina considered Gašić a quality player who could help achieve the club's goals and increase competition in defense. A day later, the same source reported that the clubs had reached an agreement and that the transfer was practically completed. Vojvodina's official confirmation arrived on August 27, when the duration of the contract until the summer of 2030 was also announced.
That sequence shows that the negotiations did not remain merely at the level of interest for long. Vojvodina quickly moved from an offer to an agreement, while Gašić had already spoken publicly about his move to Novi Sad before the official announcement. In an interview with Sportski žurnal, he said that he viewed the move to Vojvodina as a step forward in his career and emphasized his ambition to fight with his new club for victories, trophies and better European results. He also thanked the people at Radnik, the coaches, teammates and supporters for the period he spent in Surdulica. His statements show that the transfer is not merely a change of environment for him, but also a move to a club with greater expectations in terms of results.
Competition at right-back becomes significantly stronger
One of the main sporting reasons for signing Gašić is the structure of the squad on the right side of defense. Vojvodina already had Lazar Nikolić in that position, a player with experience in several roles along the right touchline, but Serbian media emphasized during the negotiations that the coaching staff needed an additional rotation option. Gašić's arrival therefore creates direct competition for a place in the starting lineup, while also allowing playing time to be distributed during periods of congested fixtures. Nikolić entered the new season as the regular right-back and also played considerable minutes in the European qualifiers, so additional squad depth could be important during the league campaign and cup competitions.
For coach Marko Savić, the arrival of the new full-back opens several possibilities. Gašić is primarily a defensive player, but his numbers for Radnik show that he also contributed in the final phase of attacks, as demonstrated by the 13 assists Vojvodina cites from his 108 appearances. Such an output does not mean that he will automatically have the same role in the new system, but it suggests that he can be used as a player who contributes to attacking width and runs into the final third. At the same time, competition with Nikolić could make it easier for Savić to adapt the team to different opponents, particularly in matches where a more attacking or more cautious profile is required on the flank. The final hierarchy in the position will be determined by form, physical condition and the way Gašić adapts to the demands of the new coaching staff.
The new player has already played against Vojvodina this season
An interesting detail of the transfer is the fact that Gašić played against Vojvodina only a few weeks before arriving in Novi Sad. Radnik visited Karađorđe Stadium on August 9 and lost 2:1, while the available match record shows that Gašić came on at the start of the second half. Vojvodina secured victory with goals from Dejan Zukić and Petar Sukačev, while Vukašin Bogdanović reduced the deficit for the visitors from the penalty spot. That match was not decisive for the transfer, but it further illustrates how closely the clubs and the player had already become acquainted with one another during the current season.
Gašić had already made appearances in the 2026/27 league season before leaving Radnik, and his signing comes at a time when Vojvodina occupies a place in the upper part of the table. According to official SuperLiga statistics ahead of the 7th round, the Novi Sad side has 12 points from six matches, with four wins and two defeats and a goal difference of 10:6. The next league challenge is an away match against Čukarički in Belgrade on August 29. The competition's official website states that Čukarički enters that match with ten points, making it a contest between clubs that are close to the top of the standings at the beginning of the season. Whether Gašić will immediately be in contention to play will depend on registration and the decision of the coaching staff.
Vojvodina under Marko Savić seeks stability after a European summer
The current season began dynamically for Vojvodina, and there has already been a change on the bench. Marko Savić was presented as the new coach on July 28, after Miroslav Tanjga ended his tenure by mutual agreement. Tanjug reported at the time that Savić, who had previously managed Levadia, Voždovac, Železničar Pančevo and Čukarički, took over the team during the European qualifying campaign. Vojvodina played qualifying matches against Ferencváros and Ajax during the summer, and after being eliminated from Europe the focus shifted to domestic competition. In that context, strengthening squad depth becomes even more important because the club no longer has a European schedule, but remains under pressure to fight for high positions in the SuperLiga and the Serbian Cup.
Gašić's arrival can therefore also be viewed as part of adapting the team to the demands of the new coach. Savić took over the squad at the end of July, meaning that the summer transfer window for Vojvodina is not merely about upgrading a team that began the season under another coach, but also an opportunity to align the squad with new technical requirements. Gašić's profile fits the need for competition on the flank, as well as the policy of signing domestic players who know the league. The advantage of such a transfer is that there is no linguistic or cultural adaptation, while the player already knows most opponents and the rhythm of the championship. On the other hand, greater expectations at a club such as Vojvodina bring a different kind of pressure from what he experienced in Surdulica.
Captaincy experience and youth national-team selections
Although he is 23, Gašić arrives in Novi Sad with experience of captaincy responsibility at two clubs. In its official biography, Vojvodina states that he earned the captain's armband while still at Rad, while during the most recent season he was one of Radnik's leaders. Specialized databases also list him as a former Serbian youth international, with two appearances for the under-19 team. That is not extensive international experience in numerical terms, but it shows that he was already part of the national player-monitoring system at youth level. For Vojvodina, what he has achieved in senior football is more important, particularly his continuity of appearances and ability to take responsibility within a team.
His career so far has not been marked by a major transfer at an early age, but rather by gradual progress through domestic football. He left Rad for Radnik, spent three years there and only after more than one hundred appearances took the next step. Such a development often brings greater tactical maturity than in players who change several environments very early, although the true value of the transfer can only be assessed through his performances for Vojvodina. His new club will expect not only defensive reliability from him, but also a contribution in the build-up phase, high pressing and control of space on the flank. The breadth of tasks required of a modern full-back is precisely one of the reasons why quality solutions in that position are becoming increasingly important.
Radnik loses one of the most experienced players of the current generation
For Radnik, the transfer means the departure of a footballer who became one of the team's recognizable figures during three years at the club. The Surdulica side is losing a player who experienced different phases of its sporting cycle and who continued to play an important role after its return to the SuperLiga. In the current season, Radnik had also been collecting points in mid-table up to the moment of the transfer, so the departure of a regular right-back represents a sporting challenge for coach Zoran Rendulić. On the other hand, the transfer to Vojvodina also demonstrates that Radnik can develop or establish players who subsequently move to clubs with greater ambitions and financial possibilities.
Gašić said farewell to Surdulica by thanking the club and its supporters, confirming that he leaves after a period in which he built a strong status within the team. For Radnik, it will be important to find a solution capable of replacing his minutes, defensive contribution and attacking output from the flank. For Vojvodina, meanwhile, precisely that combination of experience and room for further development represents the main potential of the transfer. The club has acquired a player who knows the league, has already been a captain and is entering the prime years for the development of a defender. The four-year contract also gives Vojvodina sufficient time both for sporting performance and for the player's potential future market valuation.
First objective: earn a place in the team and help in the fight for the top
The official transfer announcement ended with a message from Vojvodina wishing Gašić luck and success in the red-and-white shirt, but his real work is only beginning. He joins a team that has collected 12 points after six league rounds and wants to remain in touch with the top of the table. Competition already exists in his position, while Lazar Nikolić has continuity of appearances and experience playing for Vojvodina. Gašić will therefore have to prove his status in training and matches, regardless of the length of his contract and the reputation he built at Radnik.
For Vojvodina, the transfer is important because it addresses a clearly identified need in the squad, while for Gašić it represents the biggest club step of his senior career so far. His words about the desire for trophies and better European results correspond with the ambitions of the environment he is joining, but the short-term focus will be much more concrete: earn playing time, adapt to Marko Savić's demands and help the team in the domestic championship. He could get his first opportunity to enter the official squad as early as the closing days of August, depending on administrative procedures and the coach's decision. After 108 matches for Radnik, a new chapter in his career begins, and with the long-term contract Vojvodina has clearly shown that it expects Gašić to play an important role in Novi Sad beyond a single season.
Sources:
- FK Vojvodina - official confirmation of the transfer, contract duration and biographical information about Mateja Gašić (link)
- Meridian Sport - information about Vojvodina's offer, statement by president Dragoljub Zbiljić and the course of negotiations with Radnik (link)
- Sportski žurnal - Mateja Gašić's statement about the transfer, his ambitions at Vojvodina and his farewell to Radnik (link)
- Mozzart Bet Serbian SuperLiga - official data on Vojvodina's and Čukarički's points and the schedule for the 7th round (link)
- Tanjug - confirmation of the appointment of Marko Savić as Vojvodina coach and the context of the coaching change in July 2026 (link)
- Transfermarkt - player profile, primary position and information about appearances for Serbia's youth national teams (link)
- Max Sport - media report on the possible value of the transfer, with a note that the amount has not been officially confirmed (link)