Former Ajax playmaker Dusan Tadic has returned to the Netherlands, joining NEC Nijmegen on a two-year contract as the club prepares for its first European campaign in 17 years.
The 37-year-old Serbian, who captained his country at the 2022 World Cup and holds the national team's appearance record with 111 caps, was a free agent after a season with Al Wahda in Abu Dhabi. NEC confirmed the signing on Monday, just days before the club faces Greek side Olympiakos in the Champions League third qualifying round.
NEC's surprise third-place finish in the Eredivisie last season earned them a place in European competition for the first time since 2009. The club will need Tadic's vast continental experience — he played a starring role in Ajax's remarkable run to the Champions League semifinals in 2019, a campaign that included eliminating defending champions Real Madrid and Juventus with stunning away victories.
Tadic was instrumental in Ajax's 4-1 win at the Santiago Bernabeu in the 2018-19 round of 16, scoring once and providing two assists to overturn a first-leg deficit. He also found the net in both legs of the quarterfinal against Juventus. His creativity and leadership will be invaluable for a NEC side stepping into the unfamiliar territory of high-stakes European qualifiers.
This marks Tadic's fourth Dutch club. He previously played for Groningen and Twente before moving to the Premier League with Southampton in 2014. After four years in England, he joined Ajax in 2018, where he won three Eredivisie titles and two KNVB Cups. Following his Ajax stint, he spent the 2025-26 season in the UAE with Al Wahda.
Tadic announced his retirement from international football after the 2024 European Championship, ending his Serbia career as the nation's most-capped player with 111 appearances.
The first leg of NEC's Champions League qualifier against Olympiakos will be played in Greece next week.
Sources
- https://apnews.com/article/champions-league-nec-tadic-serbia-dutch-f36787f6838fbf77427120723db7cc60
