Who is Jaka Bijol? Meet the ‘intelligent’ defender who Leeds United signed for a bargain

Add as preferred source on Google

Leeds United have made Jaka Bijol their second signing of the summer transfer window, but who is he?

Daniel Farke has made a start on improving his squad ahead of the difficult Premier League campaign to come, which will get underway against Everton after the fixtures were released.

Lukas Nmecha has arrived on a free transfer as Leeds United’s first summer signing and the club moved quickly to make another.

Strengthening the defence has been a big priority for Farke and he has just that, as Jaka Bijol has arrived at Elland Road.

Here is everything you need to know about him.

• Who is Gabriel Gudmundsson? Meet the attacking left-back Leeds United are ‘keen’ to replace Junior Firpo

Who is Jaka Bijol?

Jaka Bijol has enjoyed a well-travelled career which has already seen him play for four clubs in four different countries.

After bouncing around at youth level, his senior career began at the Slovenian side Rudar Velenje, where he played for a single season before being snapped up by CSKA Moscow.

Bijol soon established himself in the heart of CSKA’s midfield, with his bulky frame and strength allowing him to protect his defence. He even contributed going forward, too, with goals and assists.

It wasn’t until he returned from a loan spell at Hanover did Bijol move further down the field to become the towering centre-back he is today.

Udinese signed Bijol for a bargain fee in 2022 and, other than one spell on the sidelines, he has been an ever-present in their starting XI ever since.

Bijol is also a seasoned international with 63 caps for Slovenia and earned plaudits for his performances at Euro 2024, where his nation made it to the last 16 and kept clean sheets against England and Portugal.

Jaka Bijol to Leeds United

Leeds have moved quickly to secure Bijol ahead of some big competition from the likes of AC Milan and Celtic.

Leeds saw their initial offer rejected by Udinese but talks continued and a deal was soon agreed, with Fabrizio Romano rubber-stamping the transfer.

Bijol reportedly requested that the move be delayed until after his wedding but he still wanted it concluded quickly. After undergoing a medical a few days before, the signing was finally confirmed on June 23, 2025.

Leeds paid a bargain £15m for Bijol and he signed a five-year contract to 2030.

Bijol’s impressive stats show why he could be a crucial signing in Leeds’ quest for survival but Pascal Struijk may be concerned about his spot in the side.

Praise for Jaka Bijol

Speaking in 2024 amid speculation linking Bijol to Inter, Udinese manager Gabriele Cioffi heaped praise on Bijol and gave insight into his defensive strengths.

Cioffi said: “He’s already ready for Inter. He’s intelligent. He works hard. He’s an extremely positive guy.”

Cioffi also described Bijol as “physically strong,” before going on to add: “Given his size, he’s not the fastest – but he’s not slow either.

“He’s a defensive player. He definitely needs to be in the right context to be at his best. At Inter, I would see him playing well as the central defender in a back-three.”

Jaka Bijol age and height

Bijol was born on February 5, 1999, in Vuzenica, Slovenia. As of June 2025, he is 26 years old.

Bijol stands at a massive 6’3″, which makes him a giant at the back and dominant in the air.

Jaka Bijol wages

According to Salary Sport, Bijol earned £17,000 a week at Udinese, which equals £884,000 a year.

Leeds likely offered him a significant pay rise but it’s not yet clear how much he is earning at the club.

Jaka Bijol stats

Bijol’s career stats for club and country so far.

Jaka Bijol Instagram and X/Twitter accounts

Bijol can be found on Instagram @jakabijol where you can become one of his over 35k followers.

He does not appear to have a public X, formerly Twitter, account.