“I will definitely stay here another six months to a year get more experience.”
Ever since Djordje Petrovic arrived in New England he has excelled and proven that he is a special player.
In 20 games played, Petrovic has made 80 saves and has recorded seven shutouts along with a goals against average of 1.30. His seven shutouts are the most by a Revolution goalkeeper since 2017.
The 23-year-old has been a superb shot-stopper so the fact that he was voted Team MVP isn’t surprising. Petrovic is also a contender for the 2022 MLS Newcomer of the Year award.
It’s also not surprising that the Revolution decided to lock Petrovic up to a long-term deal. On Friday, the club announced that Petrovic had signed a three-year contract extension with a club option for 2026.
This doesn’t necessarily mean that Petrovic will be with the Revs the entire time as the netminder is already garnering European interest, though no formal offers have been submitted.
“Well, my goal is to eventually go back to Europe and sign for some of the major teams there,” Petrovic said. “But this is a good experience for me. I signed a new contract today.”
Petrovic isn’t sure when a move will happen, noting that it could be 6 months, a year, or more. He’s not particularly worried about it at this point because he’s enjoying his time with the Revs.
“I’m looking at my career step-by-step so I’m really enjoying it here and I feel I am progressing every day,” Petrovic said. “But definitely, my goal is to go back and sign a contract for some team in Europe.”
Here’s an important clarification of what Petrovic told the media yesterday.
Petrovic said, “My goal is to eventually go back to a major league in Europe. Is this point to happen now, in 6m or in 1 yr, I don’t know and I don’t burden myself with it. I’m very happy at #NERevs!” https://t.co/fS60rvkhBR
— Seth (@SethMan31) October 8, 2022
Petrovic later expressed interest in playing for a Champions League side, telling Tom Quinlan of WPRO, “And there is no specific team that I would like to sign for but definitely one of the team’s playing in the UEFA Champions League or a big club.”
New England Revolution head coach and sporting director Bruce Arena has also been pleased with how well Petrovic has performed and is happy that his contract has been extended.
“Djordje Petrović has been a great addition to our team. In his 2022 season with the Revolution, Djordje has made a great impression on both his teammates and the staff,” Arena said. “We believe he has a great future and will continue to improve as a goalkeeper. Therefore, he is most deserving of this new contract.”
So while it is great news that Petrovic has signed a contract extension, Revolution fans shouldn’t expect him to extend his time in New England any longer than necessary.