Stipe Perica

Stipe Perica (Croatian pronunciation: [stǐːpe pêritsa];[2][3] born 7 July 1995) is a Croatian footballer who plays as a striker for Championship club Watford.

Stipe Perica
Personal information
Full name Stipe Perica[1]
Date of birth (1995-07-07) 7 July 1995
Place of birth Zadar, Croatia
Height 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Position(s) Striker
Club information
Current team
 Watford
Number 25
Youth career
2005–2012 Zadar
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2013 Zadar 20 (8)
2013–2016 Chelsea 0 (0)
2013–2015 → NAC Breda (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– Watford 12 (1)
National team
2013 Croatia U19 1 (0)
2013 Croatia U20 4 (1)
2013–2016 Croatia U21 11 (8)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 14:29, 6 February 2021

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]

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.[26]

Career statistics
As of match played 6 February 2021[27][28]
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Zadar 2012–13 Prva HNL 20842——2410
Chelsea 2013–14 Premier League 0000000000
2014–15 Premier League 0000000000
Total 0000000000
NAC Breda (loan) 2013–14 Eredivisie 25610——266
2014–15 Eredivisie 10310——113
Total 35920——379
Udinese 2014–15 Serie A 9100——91
2015–16 Serie A 11221——133
2016–17 Serie A 27600——276
2017–18 Serie A 22100——221
2018–19 Serie A 0000——00
2019–20 Serie A 0000——00
Total 691021——7111
Frosinone (loan) 2018–19 Serie A 7010——80
Kasımpaşa (loan) 2018–19 Süper Lig 12220——142
Royal Excel Mouscron (loan) 2019–20 Belgian First Division A 15711——168
Watford 2020–21 EFL Championship 1210020—141
Career total 17036124200018441

References
  1. "Notification of shirt numbers: Watford" (PDF). English Football League. p. 73. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  2. "Stjȅpān". Hrvatski jezični portal (in Serbo-Croatian). Retrieved 19 March 2018. Stípe
  3. "Pètar". Hrvatski jezični portal (in Serbo-Croatian). Retrieved 19 March 2018. Pȅrica
  4. "Stipe Perica Chelsea Profile". Chelsea Official Site.
  5. "Stipe Perica signs". Chelsea F.C. 1 August 2013. Archived from the original on 22 January 2014.
  6. "NAC zonder Chelsea-huurling Perica naar Kuip". FC Update (in Dutch). 23 August 2013. Retrieved 20 December 2015.
  7. "Roda JC vs. NAC Breda 1 - 5". Soccerway AU. 15 September 2013.
  8. "Perica: ben gelukkig bij NAC" (in Dutch). NOS. 5 October 2013. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  9. "NAC Breda v.s. Feyeboord 1 - 1". Soccerway AU. 16 February 2014.
  10. "NAC Breda boss Nebojsa Gudelj pleased with Stipe Perica loan deal". Sky Sports. 21 August 2014. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  11. "Stipe Perica on loan at Udinese". hns-cff.hr. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
  12. "Perica op weg naar Italië na afscheid van NAC Breda" (in Dutch). Voetbal International. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
  13. "Napoli vs. Udinese". Soccerway. Retrieved 8 February 2015.
  14. "Genoa vs. Udinese". Soccerway. Retrieved 4 April 2015.
  15. "Roma remain in control of the race for Italy's second automatic Champions League place after fighting back to beat Udinese at the Stadio Olimpico". BBC Sports. 17 May 2015.
  16. "Stipe Perica will play the next 18 months on loan in Italy at Udinese". Chelsea FC. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
  17. "Torino vs. Udinese - 20 December 2015". Soccerway. 20 December 2015.
  18. "Perica redeemed by Chelsea FC". Udinese Calcio. 15 June 2016. Archived from the original on 19 June 2016.
  19. "Perica on loan to Frosinone". Retrieved 18 July 2018.
  20. "Stipe Perica Kasımpaşamızda" (in Turkish). Retrieved 27 January 2019.
  21. "UFFICIALE: Udinese, Perica in prestito al Mouscron - TUTTOmercatoWEB.com". www.tuttomercatoweb.com. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
  22. "Stipe Perica: Watford sign Croatian striker from Udinese". BBC Sport. 7 September 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  23. "Watford beat Oxford United on penalties in Carabao Cup". watfordobserver.co.uk. 15 September 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  24. "Newport 3-1 Watford". BBC. 22 September 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  25. "Watford 1-1 Bournemouth". BBC. 24 October 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  26. "Croatia finish top, Kiwis exit". FIFA. 29 June 2013.
  27. "Stipe Perica". Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  28. "Stipe Perica". Soccerway. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
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