Cem Basgul, Head of Football Operations at Maribor, after the double renewal: ‘Lots of interest in Repas, Grlić a role model for other youngsters’
Photo: Žan Pak
Jan Repas until 2026, Niko Grlić until 2028. Maribor announced the double contract extension on Friday, but interestingly, it was not the club’s sporting director, Marko Šuler, who presented the reasons for this move to the public, but rather Cem Basgul. He was introduced at Ljudski vrt as the Head of Football Operations of NK Maribor, and it is evident that he will be dictating the future sports policy in the Štajerska capital. Regardless, Cem Basgul expressed great satisfaction with the extensions of Repas and Grlić.
“Jan Repas is not only one of the best in Slovenia but also an exemplary footballer, a model of professionalism. His dedication and character make him an excellent role model for young Slovenian players. Despite strong interest from other clubs, Jan has shown trust in our project, which means a lot to us. His decision to stay reflects our philosophy of combining the best Slovenian talents with quality players from abroad. Our goal is clear – we want to build a team capable of competing at the highest level in Europe while maintaining the heart, pride, and identity of Maribor,” said Cem Basgul for the club’s website.
Cem Basgul: “Young players will have a very important role”
The Turk, one of the people who joined the club thanks to Acun Ilıcalı, added regarding Niko Grlić that Maribor wants to use his story as a message to all young players from the youth academy that they won’t have to seek opportunities elsewhere in the country or abroad in the future but will find them at Ljudski vrt—provided they are dedicated and hardworking.
“Niko Grlić, on the other hand, is a product of our academy, and we are thrilled with his potential. Looking at the past, many young Slovenian talents left the country too early because they didn’t believe they would get a chance in the first team. We want to change that mindset, which is why we plan to introduce many more players from our football school into the first team in the coming years. The focus on developing the academy is part of our belief in long-term, sustainable success, and young Slovenian players will play a very important role in this vision. As the best club in Slovenia, we understand that we have a responsibility not just to win but to contribute to Slovenian football as a whole. We are excited that Jan and Niko will continue to grow with us and contribute to our shared goals,” concluded Cem Basgul, who was previously the sporting director of Irish club Shelbourne.
This text was automatically translated using AI.
Author: editorial Football Planet
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