Lekovic is eager to make the move, but Red Star Belgrade throws up more hurdles.

Real Zaragoza has kicked off the season with strong optimism, fielding a revamped squad that’s seen almost complete changes. This is where Stefan Lekovic could play a key role. With the team’s promising start to the league, the club is preparing to enter the winter market to strengthen multiple positions.

One of those key areas is the center-back role, where Lekovic comes in. The Serbian defender was on Zaragoza’s radar last summer, but due to bureaucratic delays (with paperwork arriving too late), the transfer fell through. Now, however, both the player and the club are closer than ever to reaching an agreement.

The only issue standing in the way is that Red Star Belgrade has demanded a loan fee for Lekovic that Zaragoza is not currently willing to meet. This is a familiar challenge for the Spanish club, echoing last summer’s failed attempt, as Red Star remains firm in its stance, blocking Zaragoza’s efforts to secure the Serbian defender.

Red Star, Serbia’s dominant club with seven consecutive league titles, controls the transfer market with ease. They did not allow Lekovic to leave last summer despite a request from Zaragoza’s coach, Víctor Fernández, and time constraints prevented any deal from being finalized before the window closed.

Now, Red Star’s financial demands are again proving difficult for Zaragoza to meet, though the Spanish club is determined to pursue the move. In fact, they managed to convince the player to join in July, and are ready to try again with a loan offer for the remainder of the season.

Zaragoza plans to cover only half of Lekovic’s wages, and this won’t be the club’s only winter market move. With aspirations of promotion to La Liga, they are leaving room in their budget to strengthen the squad for the second half of the season.