Ante Palaversa

Ante Palaversa
Palaversa with Troyes in 2022
Personal information
Full name Ante Palaversa
Date of birth (2000-04-06) 6 April 2000 (age 26)
Place of birth Split, Croatia
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position Defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Aberdeen
Number 18
Youth career
Hajduk Split
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2018 Hajduk Split II 19 (2)
2018–2019 Hajduk Split 14 (2)
2019–2022 Manchester City 0 (0)
2019 → Hajduk Split (loan) 11 (0)
2019–2020 → Oostende (loan) 19 (2)
2020–2021 → Getafe (loan) 2 (0)
2021–2022 → Kortrijk (loan) 39 (3)
2022–2024 Troyes 9 (1)
2022–2024 Troyes B 3 (0)
2024– Aberdeen 44 (2)
International career‡
2014 Croatia U14 2 (0)
2015 Croatia U15 5 (1)
2015–2016 Croatia U16 12 (2)
2016 Croatia U17 12 (0)
2017–2018 Croatia U18 4 (1)
2017–2019 Croatia U19 14 (4)
2021 Croatia U20 4 (0)
2021–2023 Croatia U21 12 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 20 May 2026
‡ National team caps and goals as of 27 June 2023

Ante Palaversa (born 6 April 2000) is a Croatian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Scottish Premiership club Aberdeen.

Club career

Hajduk Split

Born in Split, Croatia, Palaversa started his youth career with the Hajduk Split academy. At the end of the 2016–17 season, he won the Best Player of the Youth League award and was subsequently promoted to the reserve team. After playing regularly for the reserve team in the second tier, he was promoted to the senior team in June 2018 by manager Željko Kopić. On 26 July 2018, Palaversa made his first team debut, coming on as a substitute in a 1–0 victory over Bulgarian club Slavia Sofia in a UEFA Europa League qualifying match. On 26 August, he scored his first goal for the club in a 2–2 draw against Inter Zaprešić, scoring a volley from 21-metres.

Manchester City

On 28 January 2019, it was announced that Palaversa would be joining Manchester City for an eventual fee of €7 million, instantly returning to Hajduk on loan. He completed the move on 31 January.

Loan to Getafe

On 31 August 2020, Palaversa joined Getafe on loan.

Loan to KV Kortrijk

On 26 January 2021, Palaversa moved to Belgian club KV Kortrijk on loan until the end of the season.

Troyes

On 31 August 2022, having never made an appearance for City, Palaversa joined Troyes, another club within the City Football Group, on a three-year contract.

Aberdeen

On 8 August 2024, Palaversa signed for Scottish Premiership club Aberdeen on a one-year contract, with the Scottish Premiership club having the option of a further two years, which was exercised in January 2025 with the club extending his stay until summer 2027.

Career statistics

As of match played on 24 May 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup League cup Europe Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Hajduk Split 2018–19 Prva HNL 12220–10152
Getafe (loan) 2020–21 La Liga 2010––30
Kortrijk (loan) 2020–21 Belgian Pro League 9210––102
2021–22 Belgian Pro League 30130––331
Total 39340––433
Troyes 2022–23 Ligue 1 2100––21
2023–24 Ligue 2 7000––70
Total 9100––91
Aberdeen 2024–25 Scottish Premiership 3025020–372
Career total 92812020101078

Honours

Aberdeen

References

  1. ↑ "Premier League clubs publish 2019/20 retained lists". Premier League. 26 June 2020. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  2. ↑ "Ante Palaversa: I'm glad that coach Kopic trusts young players". HNK Hajduk Split. 17 July 2018. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
  3. ↑ "Ante Palaversa: Nagradu posvećujem momčadi, nije bilo lako igrati po ovakvim vrućinama" [Ante Palaversa: I dedicate the team prize, it was not easy to play with this kind of heat] (in Croatian). Dalmatinski Portal. 26 June 2018. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
  4. ↑ "Novi dijamant Hajduka Ante Palaversa blista na pripremama: Ovo je ispunjenje mojih snova" [New Hajduk's Diamond Ante Palavers Blinks on Preparations: This is the fulfillment of my dreams] (in Croatian). Slobodna Dalmacija. 17 July 2018. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
  5. ↑ "Palaversa after the debut: This is my dream come true, thank you for applause". HNK Hajduk Split. 27 July 2018. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
  6. ↑ "Prvijenac za pamćenje: Kada dam gol, onda je to obično ovakav nekakav" [Remember that when I get a shot, then this is usually something like this]. Slobodan Dalmacija. 26 August 2018. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  7. ↑ "Palaversa leti u Manchester na potpis ugovora, sutra se očekuje konačna potvrda" [Palaversa flying off to Manchester to sign a contract.]. Slobodan Dalmacija. 28 January 2019. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
  8. ↑ "Ante Palaversa: Man City complete Hajduk Split signing". BBC Sport. 31 January 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
  9. ↑ "Official: Ante Palaversa, on loan to Getafe for one season". Pledge Times. 31 August 2020.[permanent dead link]
  10. ↑ "Jupiler Pro League: Courtrai accueille Ante Palaversa (Manchester City)" [Jupiler Pro League: Kortrijk welcomes Ante Palaversa (Manchester City)]. Lavenir.net (in French). 26 January 2021. Archived from the original on 26 January 2021. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  11. ↑ "Ante Palaversa joins ESTAC!". Troyes. 31 August 2022. Archived from the original on 14 October 2022. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  12. ↑ "Aberdeen midfielder Ante Palaversa signs long-term deal with the Dons". 11 January 2025. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
  13. 1 2 "A. Palaversa". Soccerway. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
  14. ↑ "Scottish Cup final - McGregor left in tears as Aberdeen stun Celtic in penalty shootout". BBC. Retrieved 24 May 2025.