1. FC Union Berlin are strengthening the attack of their men’s first team for the 2024/25 season with the arrival of attacker Andrej Ilic, on loan with an option to buy next summer. The Serbian is moving to Köpenick from OSC Lille.
From Serbia, via Latvia, Norway and France, to Berlin
The 24-year-old Ilic took his first steps in football in his native city of Belgrade, Serbia. He began his education in the game a youth player at Partizan, and went on to play for the U19s of the club from the ‘white city’. In the summer of 2018, he moved a few kilometres south-east to Napredak Kruševac, where he made his debut in the Serbian first division at the age of 18 – against Partizan, of all clubs. He stayed at Kruševac for a total of two years before joining a new club in his home country’s top flight, and it was at Javor Ivanjica, the right-footer developed into a regular striker, scoring nine goals with three assists in 29 games that season.
His next departure took him abroad for the first time in autumn 2021, to Latvian first division club FK RFS. There, the 6’2” centre-forward reached the next sporting level, scoring 42 times in 87 games and setting up a further 17 goals. Thanks in part to his performances, the club became Latvian champions for the first time in 2021, winning the national cup in the same year.
While his performances continued to improve, interest from other clubs also grew steadily. Five-time Norwegian champions, Oslo’s Vålerenga won the battle for Ilic’s signature in the summer of 2023. But despite his eleven goals in 16 games, the club couldn’t stave off relegation to the second tier at the end of the season and immediately released their striker.
Since February of this year, the six-time Serbian U-21 international has worn the famous shirt of OSC Lille. He made his debut in Ligue 1 against Clermont Foot just a few days after his transfer, but missed the following three months due to injury.
Andrej Ilic has now made a temporary move to the Stadion An der Alten Försterei, where he will be looking to add to his tally of 65 goals and 22 assists from 169 games so far.
Three facts about Andrej:
- Andrej has already made 17 appearances in European competitions.
- After Konstantin Ognjanović, Bozidar Djurkovic, Petar Divic, Sreto Ristic and Milos Pantovic, Ilic is the sixth Serbian to wear the Union jersey.
- Andrej has split his 65 goals as a professional evenly between the two halves, scoring 33 in the first 45 minutes, and 32 in the second and in extra time
The views on the loan
“The Bundesliga is a goal for many young players from Serbia,” said a proud Ilic after his arrival in Köpenick. “The fact that I’ve now made it here – in a roundabout way – makes me proud. I’m looking forward to the stadium and the special atmosphere and want to repay the trust placed in me immediately with my performances.”
‘With Andrej, we’re getting a robust and physically strong centre-forward who has proven his accuracy several times so far,” was Union’s director of men’s professional football, Horst Heldt’s view on the loaned striker. “We are confident that he can be an asset to us right from the start and are delighted that he has joined us.’