The 22-year-old German striker arrives at Rujevica on loan until the end of the season with an option to buy, and the Whites hope he will replicate the success of former players who exploded in Rijeka's jersey.
HNK Rijeka is set to receive a significant boost in attack. Yusuf Kabadayi, a 22-year-old footballer born in Munich, is arriving at Rujevica on loan from German club Augsburg until the end of the season, with an option to make the move permanent, as confirmed by Novi list. The young offensive player, who can boast of signing for Bayern from his hometown three years ago, is expected to be a new solution for coach Kek in the attacking line and on the wings.
The transfer, which has dragged on for nearly a month since it was practically agreed upon, is now nearing completion. Kabadayi is set to join the Whites as soon as all parties put pen to paper. In his short career, he has already gained experience on loan at Schalke 04 and Turkish club Gaziantep, and he has a valid contract with Augsburg until 2028. His rise was temporarily halted by a knee injury, but at Rijeka, they believe they have acquired a player with great potential.
Kabadayi won't be a complete stranger to Croatian football. His friend, Croatian footballer Gabriel Vidović, who was born in Augsburg just two months and one day apart from him, has already introduced him to the ins and outs of the SuperSport HNL. Interestingly, these two players, who grew up together, will now become rivals on Croatian pitches. Kabadayi represented Turkey at youth levels but later opted to play for Germany.
At Rujevica, they hope Kabadayi will follow in the footsteps of his predecessors who came from Germany and experienced meteoric rises. The most recent example is Franjo Ivanović, who arrived three years ago from Augsburg's second team and earned a move to Benfica with his performances. Although Ivanović only received a preliminary call-up to the Croatian national team due to limited playing time in Portugal, he is now on the verge of another big career step. Lazio and Lens are vying for his signature. A loan with an option to buy under Gennaro Gattuso at Lazio seemed like a done deal, but French vice-champions Lens have entered the race, offering identical terms and a spot in the Champions League. The final decision rests with Ivanović himself, whose priority is playing time that would earn him a return to the Vatreni under coach Slaven Bilić.
An even greater success story for Rijeka is that of Marco Pašalić. He also arrived at Rujevica from Germany, and today he is a regular Croatian international with a World Cup appearance in the USA. If Kabadayi shows even a fraction of what Ivanović and Pašalić delivered, Rijeka has secured a major reinforcement.
