Stipe Perica
Croatian footballer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Stipe Perica (Croatian pronunciation: [stǐːpe pêritsa];[2][3] born 7 July 1995) is a Croatian footballer who plays as a striker for Uzbekistan Super League club Neftchi Fergana.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Stipe Perica[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 7 July 1995 | ||
| Place of birth | Zadar, Croatia | ||
| Height | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) | ||
| Position | Striker | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Neftchi Fergana | ||
| Number | 18 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2005–2012 | Zadar | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2012–2013 | Zadar | 20 | (8) |
| 2013–2016 | Chelsea | 0 | (0) |
| 2013–2015 | → NAC (loan) | 35 | (9) |
| 2015–2016 | → Udinese (loan) | 20 | (3) |
| 2016–2020 | Udinese | 49 | (7) |
| 2018 | → Frosinone (loan) | 7 | (0) |
| 2019 | → Kasımpaşa (loan) | 12 | (2) |
| 2019–2020 | → Mouscron (loan) | 15 | (7) |
| 2020–2021 | Watford | 16 | (1) |
| 2021–2022 | Maccabi Tel Aviv | 35 | (17) |
| 2022–2024 | Standard Liège | 29 | (4) |
| 2024–2025 | Rijeka | 6 | (0) |
| 2025–2026 | Dinamo București | 32 | (8) |
| 2026– | Neftchi Fergana | 3 | (3) |
| International career | |||
| 2013 | Croatia U19 | 2 | (0) |
| 2013 | Croatia U20 | 5 | (1) |
| 2013–2016 | Croatia U21 | 12 | (8) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 5 March 2026 | |||
Club career
Early career
Perica started his playing career in his home-country of Croatia with Zadar in 2012. He made his debut for the first team during the month of September 2012.[4] In his first season, he scored 8 goals in 20 league matches, and 10 goals in all competitions.
Chelsea
On 1 August 2013, Perica signed for Chelsea with a transfer fee of €2.5m.[5] After his arrival at Chelsea, the club loaned Perica out to Dutch club NAC Breda.[6]
Loan to NAC Breda
On his NAC Breda debut he scored his first goal in a 1–5 victory away to Roda JC, having come on as a substitute.[7] A few weeks later he scored the winning goal for 2–1 against Heracles Almelo in his fourth appearance.[8] On 16 February 2014, he was sent-off just 4 minutes after being substituted on in the match against Feyenoord.[9]
In August 2014, his loan deal was extended for the 2014–15 season.[10] However, after the sacking of Breda's manager Nebojša Gudelj, his role was reduced to a bit-part player and he requested a move in search for more game time. On 22 January 2015, his loan with NAC Breda ended and Chelsea loaned him out to Udinese until June 2016.[11][12]
Udinese
On 8 February 2015 against Napoli, Perica made his debut for Udinese, coming off the bench in the 78th minute for Bruno Fernandes.[13] On 4 April 2015, Perica made his first start for Udinese in a match against Genoa that ended in a 1–1 draw.[14] On 17 May, Perica scored the opener (his first for Udinese) against A.S. Roma, the match ended in a 1–2 loss for Udinese.[15]
On 3 June 2015, Udinese extended Perica's loan deal for one and a half years.[16] On 20 December 2015, Perica scored his first goal of the 2015–16 Serie A campaign in a 1–0 away victory over Torino, therefore scoring the winning goal in the 41st minute.[17]
On 15 June 2016, Udinese activated a clause in Perica's contract, in which he would join the Italian side on a permanent basis.[18]
Loans to Frosinone, Kasımpaşa and Mouscron
On 18 July 2018, Perica was loaned to newly promoted Serie A club Frosinone for a season.[19] In January, he was recalled from Udinese to join Kasımpaşa after falling down the pecking order.[20]
On 23 August 2019, Perica joined Belgian First Division A club Mouscron on loan until 30 June 2020.[21]
Watford
On 7 September 2020, Perica joined EFL Championship club Watford from Udinese on a 2-year deal for an undisclosed fee.[22]
He made his Watford debut in an EFL Cup tie against Oxford United on 15 September 2020. The game went to a penalty shootout and Perica converted his effort as Watford won.[23] In the following round against Newport County, Perica was sent off for violent conduct as Watford lost 3–1.[24] He scored his first goal for Watford in a 1–1 draw with Bournemouth on 24 October 2020.[25]
Maccabi Tel Aviv
On 14 August 2021, Perica signed for Israeli side Maccabi Tel Aviv.[26] On 14 September 2021, Perica scored the first goal of the new UEFA Europa Conference League.[27]
Standard Liège
Perica was acquired by Belgian First Division A club Standard Liège on 2 September 2022, for 900k euros, a few days after he fled Israel in flight without the club's permission.[28] He made his club doubt in a 2-0 home win against K.V. Kortrijk, when he entered the game as a substitute in the 80th minute.
Rijeka
Perica signed for Rijeka as a free agent on 4 September 2024.[29]
International career
Perica represented Croatia at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2013. He was Croatia's youngest player, aged 17, and scored in a 2–1 win over New Zealand on 29 June.[30]
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Zadar | 2012–13 | Prva HNL | 20 | 8 | 4 | 2 | — | — | 24 | 10 | ||
| NAC Breda (loan) | 2013–14 | Eredivisie | 25 | 6 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 26 | 6 | ||
| 2014–15 | Eredivisie | 10 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 11 | 3 | |||
| Total | 35 | 9 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 37 | 9 | ||||
| Udinese (loan) | 2014–15 | Serie A | 9 | 1 | — | — | — | 9 | 1 | |||
| 2015–16 | Serie A | 11 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 13 | 3 | |||
| Udinese | 2016–17 | Serie A | 27 | 6 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 27 | 6 | ||
| 2017–18 | Serie A | 22 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 22 | 1 | |||
| Total | 69 | 10 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 71 | 11 | ||||
| Frosinone (loan) | 2018–19 | Serie A | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 0 | ||
| Kasımpaşa (loan) | 2018–19 | Süper Lig | 12 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 14 | 2 | ||
| Mouscron (loan) | 2019–20 | Belgian First Division A | 15 | 7 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 16 | 8 | ||
| Watford | 2020–21 | Championship | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 2[b] | 0 | 18 | 1 | |
| Maccabi Tel Aviv | 2021–22 | Israeli Premier League | 34 | 15 | 4 | 0 | 8[c] | 2 | 0 | 0 | 46 | 17 |
| 2022–23 | Israeli Premier League | 1 | 2 | — | 4[c] | 1 | 1[d] | 0 | 6 | 3 | ||
| Total | 35 | 17 | 4 | 0 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 52 | 20 | ||
| Standard Liège | 2022–23 | Belgian Pro League | 23 | 4 | 2 | 0 | — | 4[e] | 0 | 29 | 4 | |
| 2023–24 | Belgian Pro League | 6 | 0 | 1 | 2 | — | 2[e] | 0 | 9 | 2 | ||
| Total | 29 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | 6 | 0 | 38 | 6 | |||
| Rijeka | 2024–25 | HNL | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 0 | ||
| Dinamo București | 2024–25 | Liga I | 16 | 6 | — | — | — | 16 | 6 | |||
| 2025–26 | Liga I | 16 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 18 | 2 | |||
| Total | 32 | 8 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 34 | 8 | ||||
| Neftchi Fergana | 2026 | Uzbekistan Super League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career total | 276 | 66 | 23 | 6 | 12 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 320 | 75 | ||
- Includes Croatian Cup, KNVB Cup, Coppa Italia, Turkish Cup, Belgian Cup
- Appearances in UEFA Conference League
- Appearances in Belgian Pro League European play-offs