Austria Wien signs Sanel Šaljić until 2028

Austria Wien have extended the contract of homegrown player Sanel Šaljić until the summer of 2028. The 18-year-old attacking player has been with the Violets since 2018 and has made a stellar rise from the Regionalliga Ost to the 2. Liga and the Bundesliga this season.

"I am overjoyed and at the same time proud to continue to be part of the Austria family. I'm delighted to have signed a long-term contract here. That's what I've been working towards in recent years, now it's time to move on", said Sanel Šaljić, ready for the tasks ahead.

Šaljić has come through the Violets' entire academy since April 2018 and was the top scorer in the 2021-22 season at the age of 16 with eleven goals for the Violet U18s. The attacking player was able to prove himself for the first time with the Young Violets in the 2022 winter preparations, with further test match appearances in the summer of 2022 and winter of 2023.

Šaljić was promoted from the U18s to the Young Violets for the 2023-24 season and immediately became a key player in the Regionalliga Ost. He scored his first goal in his very first match in a 3-1 home win over Wiener Viktoria on 28 July 2023. At the beginning of the year, Šaljić moved to SV Stripfing as a cooperation player and made his debut in the 2. Liga on 23 February 2024. Exactly ten weeks later, on 3 May 2024, the eight-time youth international made his first appearance in the Bundesliga.

Sporting Director Manuel Ortlechner: "Sanel Šaljić was one of the first players we signed as part of the 'Academies Eleven' project. He is a prime example of how we envisage a young player climbing the Violet career ladder: Sanel has recommended himself for the first team via the academy, the Young Violets, as well as via the co-operation club SV Stripfing, and has proven himself very quickly at all levels. We see a lot of potential in him, he's a Violet through and through - so we're delighted that he's decided to embark on a long, shared path with Austria Wien."