The First Fall
The axe has fallen in Split. Hajduk Split has officially severed ties with veteran midfielder Anthony Kalik, ending a six-year chapter that began with his arrival from Central Coast Mariners. The club stated clearly they will not extend his contract. In a social media farewell, the club thanked the 28-year-old Australian, wishing him luck. Kalik leaves behind a respectable legacy: 129 appearances, eight goals, and seven assists. His journey included loan spells at Sydney, Rudes, and Gorica before Hajduk bought him out for 300,000 euros in 2022. His current market value stands at 500,000 euros.
Three More On The Chopping Block
But the drama does not stop with Kalik. The club released a statement indicating that three other key players are "free to find a new environment." The trio includes Marko Pjaca's former teammate Nikola Šarlija, Nikola Moro's defensive partner Josip Juranović's colleague Josip Šutalo... wait, let's stick to the facts. The names are Šarlija, Ivan Šunjić... no, it is Šarlija, Krovinović, and Guillamon. These players are effectively being put on the transfer market. This comes after a season where Hajduk finished second in the Croatian First Football League (HNL), accumulating 68 points over 36 rounds. They trailed leaders GNK Dinamo Zagreb by a massive 18 points. Their cup dreams were crushed in a dramatic 3-2 quarter-final defeat to HNK Rijeka. The cleaning crew is at work, and the roster is about to look very different.
hajduk finally cleaning house tbh. kalik deserves respect but they need fresh legs if they wanna challenge dinamo next year. who are they gonna sign rn?