This report was made by Alek Sanchez.
Vukašin Jovanović (2007) is a key member of one of the most promising generations in Serbian football over the last decade. The 17-year-old goalkeeper, part of the Partizan Belgrade academy, is currently in his first professional season, on loan at Jedinstvo Ub, a recently promoted team in the Serbian Superliga.
Standing at 188 cm, Jovanović’s rise this year has been meteoric, moving directly from the U17 Kadetska liga to Serbia’s top-tier football. He was part of the Partizan U17 side that reached the final of the prestigious Future Cup, an annual tournament organized by Ajax. Only a few months later, the Serbian national team reached the semi-finals of the U17 European Championships in Cyprus. Jovanović stood out as one of the best goalkeepers of both tournaments. These performances earned him his first professional contract with Partizan and a loan move to gain experience.
Jovanović is an agile shot-stopper, capable of making saves with both hands and feet, demonstrating excellent coordination in all his actions across the line. He has a solid technical foundation in shot-stopping actions, with impressive handling abilities, particularly when dealing with long-range shots.
His footwork and movements across the box allow him to be well-positioned when facing close-range shots, where he exhibits quick reflexes. So far, he fulfills most of the criteria for a reactive goalkeeper, the role he currently plays at Jedinstvo Ub. However, Jovanović has truly distinguished himself as a proactive goalkeeper, emerging as one of the most promising talents in his generation.
Football is about space —even in goalkeepers— and Vukašin Jovanović excels in covering it. With Partizan and the U17 national team, it was not unusual to see him playing up to 25 meters from his goal. In both the build-up and defensive transitions, Jovanović can play far from his box, exceeding with his distributions and interceptions. He is a significant asset in building from the back, displaying vision to identify passing lines that few goalkeepers his age can spot.
That said, he still lacks confidence in his decision-making in aerial duels. When dealing with high balls, Jovanović often retreats to his line; however, when he does rush out, he is very effective, frequently blocking the ball. In one-on-one situations, he could benefit from aggressiveness when narrowing the space. These weaknesses have become more noticeable since his debut in the Serbian Superliga. The league’s physical demands are higher, and he remains somewhat behind in this area. Jovanović has an ectomorph body type and could benefit from additional muscle mass, which may also help with his confidence in ground and aerial duels.
The new season has been mentally challenging. He’s skipped several development steps to compete in the country’s top category. During the U17 EURO, he showed some vulnerability, particularly after conceding a 40-meter goal against Cyprus — an inherent risk for a goalkeeper tasked with playing far off his line. Now, at Jedinstvo Ub, who sits at the bottom of the Superliga table as of this report, Jovanović appears to lack the commanding attitude and concentration he previously displayed within his age group. How he handles setbacks in this professional environment will be critical in determining his potential.
Technically and tactically, he has already proven to be above his age level in defensive actions and can be a highly valuable asset in initiating offensive transitions — a key requirement for modern goalkeepers. With a stronger mentality on the pitch, Jovanović has the potential to reach the Top 5 European leagues and perform well at that level. A team with a high-press system and a progressive build-up phase from the back would be an ideal fit for his style.
Target Scouting 