Nikola Paripovic, Zoran Ivkovic, and Luka Kalajdzic, prominent journalists from the Partizan Belgrade circle, have collectively praised Joao Grimaldo’s swift adaptation to Serbian football. They pointed out not only his on-field performance but also his seamless integration into the team off the field. Furthermore, they disclosed the club’s ambitious plans regarding the young Peruvian and the significant opportunities that will arise for him to establish himself as a starter in the squad.
Firstly, Nikola Paripovic from the Sport Klub portal emphasized the player’s quick adaptation, noting that it is a positive sign that coach Aleksandar Stanojević has provided him with significant playing time in both the local tournament and international competitions.
“Despite his short time with the team, Grimaldo has managed to absorb the new culture, language, and style of play. He has shown exceptional professionalism since arriving in Belgrade. In sporting terms, receiving minutes in European tournaments is an indication that the coach has complete faith in his potential. While he is still in an adaptation phase, he is managing the situation very effectively,” he stated.
Zoran Ivković, a journalist from Telegraf, detailed Partizan’s ambitious plan for Joao Grimaldo. According to Ivković, the Serbian club views the Peruvian as a long-term project, with the aim of eventually transferring him to the most competitive leagues worldwide.
“Partizan’s philosophy is clear: acquire young talents, develop them through competition, and sell them to larger clubs. The objective regarding Grimaldo is similar: to nurture the player and achieve an economic benefit from a future transfer. The Serbian club is well-known for its ability to develop players and is often compared to teams such as Ajax, which generates significant interest from European clubs in its promising young talents,” the journalist stated.
Partizan’s top sales in the last decade
| Season | Name | Amount | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
For his part, Luka Kalajdzic, Partizan’s sports director, emphasized the significance of Joao Grimaldo’s signing for the club and his potential importance for the fans, who typically resonate strongly with South American soccer players.
“His transfer is the third most expensive in Partizan’s history, so expectations among fans are high. He is undoubtedly one of the most crucial signings in recent years, and his performances will be closely monitored. The encouraging aspect is that fans appreciate South American players for their energy, and if he starts scoring goals, he will quickly capture the hearts of Partizan’s demanding supporters. Should he excel in important matches, he could become an idol for the fans, who highly value the dedication and commitment of foreign players,” he explained.
Golden opportunity
Joao Grimaldo plays as a right winger for Partizan. Since his arrival, he has consistently partnered with Xander Severina in that position. However, during the FIFA international window, Severina’s complete transfer to Maccabi Haifa in Israel was finalized, presenting a significant opportunity for the Peruvian attacker to secure a spot on the team, as Zoran Ivkovic explains.
“I believe Grimaldo will start; it merely requires patience and time. With the sale of Xander Severina, who was the starting right winger, he will now have more opportunities. This transfer allows the Peruvian player to receive ample minutes for the remainder of the season. It will be up to him to adapt quickly and demonstrate, through goals and assists, that he deserves to be a starter,” Ivkovic stated.
To date, Joao Grimaldo has played in six matches across three different tournaments, starting once. In the remaining matches, he shared the field as a right winger with Xander Severina. Additionally, our fellow countryman has accumulated a total of 204 minutes of play in less than three months while wearing the Partizan shirt.
| Tournament | Matches Played | Started | Minutes |
|---|---|---|---|
Nikola Paripovic, Zoran Ivkovic, and Luka Kalajdzic, key press men in the Partizan Belgrade environment, have unanimously praised Joao Grimaldo’s rapid adaptation to Serbian football. They highlighted not only his performance on the field, but also his integration into the team off it. In addition, they revealed the club’s ambitious plans regarding the young Peruvian and the great opportunities that will be presented to him to establish himself as a starter in the starting eleven.
First of all, Nikola Paripovic from the Sport Klub portal highlighted the player’s rapid adaptation process, underlining that it is a positive sign that coach Aleksandar Stanojević has given him important minutes in both the local tournament and international competitions.
“Although he has only been on the team for a short time, Grimaldo has assimilated the new culture, language, and style of play. He has shown great professionalism since his arrival in Belgrade. In sports, having had minutes in European tournaments indicates that the coach fully trusts in his potential. Although he is still in a period of adaptation, he is handling the situation very effectively.”
🔎 This was Joao Grimaldo’s debut with the FK Partizan shirt in the Serbian Super League 🇷🇸
➡️ The ex-Sporting Cristal entered in the 77th minute of the game in his team’s victory against FK Železničar Pančevo by 2 to 0.
📹 FK PARTIZAN pic.twitter.com/UfbVvZmxFr
Zoran Ivković, Telegraf journalist, detailed Partizan’s ambitious plan with Joao Grimaldo. According to Ivković, the Serbian club views the Peruvian as a long-term project, aiming to export him to the most competitive leagues in the world.
“Partizan’s philosophy is clear: acquire young talents, develop them through competition, and sell them to larger clubs. The objective with Grimaldo is similar: to train the player and obtain an economic gain in a future transfer. Partizan is recognized for developing players effectively and is often compared to teams like Ajax, generating interest from European clubs in its promising young talents.”
Partizan’s Highest Sales in the Last Ten Seasons
| Season | Name | Amount | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-2020 | Strahinja Pavlovic | €10.00 million | Monaco (France) |
| 2013-2014 | Lazar Markovic | €10.00 million | Benfica (Portugal) |
| 2020-2021 | Umar Sadiq | €9.00 million | Almeria (Spain) |
| 2020-2021 | Filip Stevanovic | €8.50 million | Manchester City (England) |
| 2017-2018 | Nikola Milenkovic | €5.50 million | Fiorentina (Italy) |
Luka Kalajdzic, Partizan’s sports director, also emphasized the importance of Joao Grimaldo’s signing for the club and its significance for the fans, who typically connect well with South American soccer players.
“His transfer is the third most expensive in Partizan’s history, hence the high expectations from fans. He is undoubtedly one of the most important signings in recent years, and his performances will be closely followed. The good thing is that fans love South American players for their energy, and if he starts scoring goals, he will quickly win their hearts. If he manages to stand out in key matches, he will become an idol for the fans, who highly value the dedication and commitment of foreign players.”
Golden Opportunity for Joao Grimaldo
Joao Grimaldo occupies the right winger position for Partizan. Since his arrival, he has partnered with Xander Severina in that position. However, during the FIFA date, Severina’s full transfer to Maccabi Haifa in Israel was finalized, which presents a significant opportunity for the Peruvian attacker to earn a starting spot, as Zoran Ivkovic explains.
“I believe Grimaldo will start; it just takes patience and time. Now he will have more opportunities following the sale of Xander Severina, who was the starting right winger. With this transfer, the Peruvian player will be able to accumulate more minutes in the remainder of the season. It will be up to him to adapt quickly and showcase through his goals and assists that he deserves to be a starter.”
As of now, Joao Grimaldo has participated in six matches across three different tournaments, starting once. In the other games, he shared the field as a right winger with Xander Severina, accumulating a total of 204 minutes of play in less than three months donning the Partizan jersey.
Grimaldo’s Performance Breakdown
| Tournament | Matches Played (PJ) | Starts (Titular) | Minutes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serbian Super League | 2 | 1 | 158 |
| Europa League | 2 | – | 88 |
| Conference League | 2 | – | 58 |
