Jovan Milosevic Joins SC Braga from Stuttgart

Jovan Milosevic’s stop-start Stuttgart story is over. His next chapter will be written in Portugal.

SC Braga confirmed the signing of the 21-year-old Serbian striker on Wednesday evening, handing him a five-year contract that runs until 2031. The deal, first reported by Bild, closes a transfer that suits almost everyone involved – and especially the accountants at VfB Stuttgart.

Stuttgart cash in on a stalled project

Stuttgart had long since moved Milosevic into the “sale” column after a series of loans and limited impact in the first team. Bild reports that Braga will pay up to nine million euros including bonuses, a figure that represents a huge mark-up on the 1.5 million euros VfB paid Vojvodina Novi Sad in 2023.

Six times their original outlay for a player who made just six competitive appearances in three years: for a club preparing for a Champions League campaign, that kind of profit matters.

Milosevic’s potential was never really in doubt. His pathway in Stuttgart was. Opportunities dried up, and from February 2024 he disappeared into the loan carousel: first to FC St. Gallen in Switzerland, then back home to Partizan Belgrade, and finally into the Bundesliga again with Werder Bremen for the second half of last season.

He at least left a trace in Bremen. Three goals in 13 appearances for SV Werder hinted at what he can offer, but it did not alter his status back at Stuttgart. When he returned, Sebastian Hoeneß still did not have him in his plans. With his contract running until 2029, VfB’s task was clear – find a buyer, and find one quickly.

Udinese arrive late – too late

There was late drama in the background. Udinese Calcio, the Serie A club renowned for spotting and flipping talent, tried to hijack the move at the last moment and pull Milosevic away from Braga.

But the window closed on them. According to Bild, Stuttgart and Braga had already reached a final agreement on Wednesday morning, hours before the transfer went public. Udinese’s interest came too late to change the direction of travel.

So Milosevic heads to a club on the rise in Portugal, one that finished fourth in the Primeira Liga last season and has grown used to European nights.

A crowded Braga attack

Braga’s ambition is clear. Milosevic is expected to feature in Europe, though he will have to earn his minutes. The club must first navigate a Conference League play-off against Austria Vienna to reach the league phase, and the competition for places up front is intense.

Coach Carlos Vicens is said to be a strong admirer of Milosevic’s profile and pushed hard to get the deal over the line in recent weeks. He now has another option at centre-forward, but not a guaranteed starter.

Milosevic walks into a dressing room already housing former Barcelona talent Pau Victor and ex-Wolfsburg striker Jonas Wind, who arrived on a free transfer after VfL’s relegation. Both bring pedigree and expectations.

For Stuttgart, this is a clean break and a lucrative one. For Braga, it is a calculated investment in a 21-year-old who has flickered rather than burned so far.

For Milosevic, it is simpler: this move has to be the one where promise finally turns into a permanent place on the teamsheet.