Aleksandar Mitrovic joins Al-Hilal in club-record transfer: Decoding his stats
Serbian marksman Aleksandar Mitrovic has joined Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Hilal. It was a club-record sale for Fulham, though the fee wasn't disclosed reports suggest that the Cottagers have received around £50m. The 28-year-old target man has signed a three-year contract with Al-Hilal, keeping him at the club till 2026. Mitrovic has ended his five-year stay at Fulham and joins Neymar at Al-Hilal.
Why does this story matter?
Mitrovic was Fulham's top scorer in four of the five seasons he was at the Craven Cottage. The Serbian striker joined Fulham in 2018 from Newcastle United after spending a loan stint. Mitrovic has been a prolific goal-scorer for the club in these five years and was very vital for them in their three separate promotions from the Championship.
A look at his career stats
Mitrovic started his professional career at the Serbian second-tier team FK Teleoptik, netting seven goals in 26 appearances. He joined Partizan Belgrade, scoring 18 times in 42 matches. Mitrovic joined Belgian outfit Anderlecht, where he slammed home 44 goals in 90 appearances. He moved to Newcastle and played 72 matches, netting 17 times. Lastly, he scored 111 times for Fulham in 206 matches.
Breaking down Mitrovic's numbers in 2022-23 Premier League season
The Serbian striker played 24 matches in the 2022-23 Premier League season and netted 14 goals and provided one assist. He created 16 chances last season. As per Opta, Mitrovic struck 35 shots on target out of his 76 attempts (excluding blocks). The 28-year-old completed 296 out of 489 attempted passes, clocking 60.53% passing accuracy. He won 100 aerial duels and 80 ground duels.
A look at his overall stats in the Premier League
Mitrovic featured in 129 Premier League appearances for Newcastle and Fulham combined. He scored 39 goals and provided 11 assists in the competition. The 28-year-old created 15 big chances and had 37% shooting accuracy. He also completed 2,676 passes in the league while hitting the target 136 times. Mitrovic clocked 65 tackles, 19 interceptions, and 114 clearances in the Premier League.
Do you know?
Mitrovic slammed home 43 goals in the EFL Championship for Fulham in the 2021-22 season. He broke the most goals scored record in a 46-game league season. He overtook Guy Whittingham's record of 42 goals in a season from 1992-93.
Highest goal-scorer for Serbia (men's)
Mitrovic has played 81 times for Serbia and scored 52 goals. He made his debut in a FIFA World Cup qualifier clash against Belgium in June 2013. He scored his first international goal against Croatia in September 2013 in a 1-1 draw. Mitrovic is the highest goal-scorer for Serbia (men's) ahead of Stjepan Bobek, who has scored 38 goals in 63 international appearances.
