TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Transfer
Austin FC have exercised their permanent transfer option on left back Zan Kolmanic, the club announced Friday.
Kolmanic spent the 2021 season on loan with Austin from NK Maribor in his native Slovenia, with his new permanent contract keeping him with the club through the 2024 season.
“Zan has an incredibly bright future,” Austin sporting director Claudio Reyna said in Friday's release. “He’s one of the best young defenders in Major League Soccer, and he will only continue to improve in coming seasons. We look forward to seeing Zan continue his development in the Verde and Black.”
The 21-year-old was a mainstay for Austin during their 2021 expansion season, making 30 appearances with 23 starts while recording four assists. He also received his first call-up to the Slovenian national team, making the roster for FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against Malta and Russia in October.
Kolmanic started his career in Slovenia with NK Maribor, making 44 first-team appearances after debuting in 2017 before joining Austin.
“Austin is one of the coolest, most welcoming communities I’ve ever spent time in,” Kolmanic said. “I’m very grateful to Claudio Reyna and Josh Wolff for having the belief in me to make the move permanent and look forward to getting back to work with my teammates. The future of Austin FC is very bright.”
