Jovan Zivkovic: Ostliga top scorer and Rapid Vienna talent is already in high demand

©TM/IMAGO

While the former talent of a century, Yusuf Demir, is now struggling with Basel in the relegation battle of the Swiss Super League, a new wonderkid has emerged from the Rapid Vienna academy. Since the start of the season, Jovan Zivkovic has been a much-talked-about member of the Austrian record champions’ first squad.

In May 2023, the Austrian with Serbian roots signed a professional contract that will keep him with the Viennese-based club until 2026. Back then, the 17-year-old forward was still a rookie in Rapid’s reserve team, which plays in the Austrian second division. Zivkovic managed just five games for Rapid’s second team. But it was Zivkovic’s performances for the academy that had Rapid’s bosses excited. Zivkovic was the Golden Boot winner after he managed 27 goals in 23 games for the U16 in the 2021/22 season.

Zivkovic remained with the youth teams in 2022/23 and won the prestigious indoor tournament in Sindelfingen with Rapid’s U19. He also scored eight goals in 14 games for the U18, but because of his promotion to the second team, his numbers were reduced. Nonetheless, in the likes of Manchester City, Manchester United, and Bayer Leverkusen, the top clubs, are already lining up to sign Zivkovic.

Despite his enormous talent, CEO Steffen Hofmann made it clear that they didn’t want to burn out the young attacker. “Jovan is a player with an incredible talent and who is nowhere near his potential ceiling,” Hofmann said. “Starting this summer, we want to move him slowly but surely towards professional football, which is why, in the future, he will train with the first team. His footballing abilities are without a doubt; now it is time for him to get used to the more physical aspects and the speed of first-team football.”

With that in mind, it isn’t surprising that Zivkovic has yet to feature for the first team in a competitive game. But he did make the bench twice. But for the second team, which was relegated ahead of the season, Zivkovic has become a key player and playmaker. Playing either on the right or the left, the forward has scored nine goals in 13 games for Rapid II, is the fourth-best goalscorer in the Ostliga, and has helped his side secure first place ahead of the winter break.

“Zivkovic is like Yusuf Demir, a very playful player with good dribble skills,” Area Manager Austria Dorian Schuster said. “Those skills are important to compensate for his smaller physical appearance. But it remains to be seen how transferable those skills are to the Austrian Bundesliga.”

Rapid Vienna optimistic: Zivkovic will play for Austria

There is one dangerous aspect from the perspective of the Austrian national team. Like Demir before him, Zivkovic, who is the son of Serbian immigrants, could play for the country of his parents. Indeed, he would be the second player the ÖFB (Austrian Football Federation) has lost to Serbia after Mateo Kovacic. Indeed, before making his debut for Austria’s youth national team in June 2022, Zivkovic featured for Serbia’s U16 national team. “Because he has decided to continue his path with Rapid Vienna, I also believe the ÖFB has a good chance,” Rapid’s assistant coach Stefan Kulovits said to Laola1. “But that is a private decision, which he will have to make together with his parents. I think the doors are open for the ÖFB, however.”

From December 1 to 24, we introduce new players from different countries born in 2006 and 2007. Area managers, users, and data scouts come into play as experts throughout the series. You can follow all those players by adding them to your TM watchlist.