Union Berlin secure their first January signing

Former Croatia U21 striker Marin Ljubicic joins Union Berlin from Austrian Bundesliga side LASK. According to Transfermarkt, the transfer fee is €4.50 million.

Ljubicic came from the ranks of Hajduk Split before his move to Austrian football in 2022. Initially joined LASK on a loan deal, the Split-born striker reached 100 appearances for the club when he scored the equalizer in a 1-1 draw against Víkingur in the European Conference League.

That proved to be his last game for the Black-Whites. At an international level, he scored seven goals in two unsuccessful European Championship qualifying campaigns for Croatia. Despite making Zlatko Dalic's preliminary squad list for Euro 2024, he's yet to represent the national team.

The 22-year-old scored 12 league goals in successive seasons before netting four in the first half of this season. 

Union Berlin added a valuable point against RB Leipzig on their quest for safety, but they're now scoreless in four of their first five 2025 games. Summer signing Ivan Prtajin made his first start, while the club's top-scorer Benedict Hollerbach played on the left wing.

In a first interview with his new club, Ljubicic said it's a natural move to join Germany's Bundesliga from Austria's Bundesliga. Union's managing director Horst Heldt hailed the player by labeling him “a huge talent in his age group”.