First Window Execution
The January-and-summer sequence. Not eight signings — three better purchases and two academy promotions beat a bloated window every time. Actions run in order; each unblocks the next.
The sequence
Contract to June 2028 means buyers gain leverage every month and pre-contract exposure starts January 2028. Renew to 2030/31 with a defined release clause (~€35m) and sell-on protection. This single piece of paper is worth more than any transfer.
- Vasilije Kostov — New deal to 2030/31 + release clause; the club controls the clock
Every exit frees wages and a squad place without weakening the XI. Funded squads don't carry zero-minute contracts into expiry.
- Ivan Guteša — Third GK, 0 minutes, expiring — sell
- Edmund Addo — Contract-year loanee with no pathway — sell January, not free in summer
- Derrick Luckassen — If bid ≥ €500k — wage exceeds output
- Shavy Babicka — Permanent sale or loan expiry — the €4m lesson closes
Zero natural RBs in a 30-man squad is the single structural hole; every system is compromised until it's filled. Live talks with Fenerbahçe were reported in October 2026 — the player wants to return and he solves UEFA club-trained quotas as a bonus.
- Ognjen Mimović (€4–6m) — Zvezda-trained, bonus-eligible, attack-minded — the perfect registration profile
PAOK deal expires June 2027; October reports already flagged his exit. Zero fee, Serbian international, UCL experience — the wage is covered by the fee we're not paying.
Eight contracts expire June 2027. Decide each in January, not June: one-year reduced-base extensions for those who accept rotational roles, clean exits for the rest.
- Katai / Ivanić — 1-year rotational extensions at reduced base + bonuses — their production justifies it
- Krunić — 1-year reduced role or free exit — Gaštarov is the succession
- Arnautović — 1-year super-sub terms if the body holds
- Cham — No buy — loan ends, minutes redirect to Balov and Šarić
- Bukari — Assess buy vs return in June based on output per wage
Two internal promotions beat two external buys — this is the project working as designed.
- Jovan Šljivić — The Ivanić succession — best attacking talent outside the first team
- Uroš Sremčević — Dieng's backup — ~5 goals on loan at Radnički
- Savo Radanović — Promote to GK2
Not eight signings — three upgrades and the academy promotions. Each maps to a recruitment profile and a registration need.
- Vukašin Bogdanović (~€1m) — Top-3 league scorer as pressing-9 backup
- Uroš Miladinović (€2.5–3m) — Left-wing upgrade, Serbian, resale 3–4x
- Matija Subotić or Hamza Redžić (€1–2m) — One 18–19-year-old prospect for the flip model
Extend at 60+ senior appearances: Gudelj, Gaštarov, Strika, Šarić, Radanović — contract to contract, the conveyor stays ours.
- Contract extensions — Sell-on clauses when we eventually sell; no asset enters its final 24 months un-renewed
The five most important purchases — ranked
Each priority position carries a target ladder: A is the primary target, B the fallback, C the budget route.
Right-back
Fixes the severe holeZero natural RBs in the squad — every tactic is a compromise until this is solved. Registration value doubles if the answer is Zvezda-trained.
Creative AM / wide creator
Raises the ceilingThe creation load sits on an 18-year-old and two 33+ legends. Zukić is the league's best player; Miladinović is the value route.
Striker backup
Removes the single point of failureDieng's backup is a 37-year-old. A €1m domestic scorer plus the Sremčević recall turns the weakest depth slot into a strength.
Centre-back prospect
Pays for the projectThe flip model needs inventory: a 19-year-old CB on a 2029+ contract is either a future starter or a €5m sale.
Press-resistant DM
Insurance for the irreplaceableHändel's injury record (11 of 21 squads missed) makes pivot depth a priority, and Europe demands a second press-resistant outlet.
astro build.