Having grown up idolizing and studying star strikers Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, and Aleksandar Mitrović, new San Jose Earthquakes signing Luka Jovanović arrives in MLS eager to emulate the greats.

Joining from Adelaide United fresh off winning the A-League Golden Boot alongside Auckland FC’s Sam Cosgrove, he’s now the second consecutive Golden Boot winner Adelaide have sent to MLS, after Archie Goodwin was snapped up by Dean Smith’s Charlotte FC.

The 21‑year‑old, who’s eligible to feature for Australia or Serbia at international level, clinched that crown in dramatic fashion, coming off the bench to score a brace in a 2-1 victory over Melbourne City to send Adelaide into the semifinals. His night ended on a sour note, however, for in the emotion of his stoppage-time winner, Jovanović celebrated jubilantly and impulsively
ripped off his shirt, only to be awarded a second yellow card.

“I didn’t even think about it in the moment,” he reflected on the Adelaide United website. “When I picked my shirt back up and started walking back, then I saw the red card… I was like, ‘Oh my God.’”

Coming through the ranks at FK Beograd (U6s), Croydon Kings (U7s-U11s), MetroStars (U12s), and Football South Australia’s NTC program (U13s-U14s) on his path to Adelaide United, who he debuted professionally for in November of 2022, Jovanović’s insatiable appetite for success has always been obvious. It was on full display in 2020 when an ACL injury stalled his progress, yet he knuckled down, pushed through the adversity, and came back stronger, plus during the tougher moments when he was sitting on the bench battling for action.

That same mentality will serve him well in San Jose, where he’ll throw himself into settling in California, adjusting to life stateside, and integrating with his new teammates.

“Luka is a young striker with outstanding potential, as demonstrated by his play this past year as the Golden Boot winner in the Australian first division,” said Earthquakes sporting director and head coach Bruce Arena. “His work ethic and goal scoring make him an excellent addition to our roster, and we welcome him to the San Jose Earthquakes.”

He’ll be keen to repay the faith of his new manager, just like he did Airton Andrioli’s at the Reds, where his knack of rising to the occasion was a frequent occurrence.

Set to bring vital quality, firepower, and depth, which is especially crucial given the injury woes San Jose have endured despite their excellent start to the season, there’s no doubting Jovanović is a shrewd pickup for Arena’s attacking options. Boasting an intriguing array of characteristics, he’ll be a handy addition to bolster the frontline alongside Preston Judd, Timo Werner, Ousseni Bouda, and Niko Tsakiris.

He could be particularly useful operating in tandem with talisman Judd. When speaking to Petar Petrov, Professional Recruitment Consultant and Data Analyst, who works heavily in the Australian market, his insight on Jovanović makes for fascinating reading. “I think Luka has a really interesting profile,” he told Howler.

“He’s not really your traditional No. 9. He’s quite quick, tricky in tight spaces, and happy to move across the front line. But his link play with his back to goal isn’t great, and he’s an underwhelming dueller, which I think could limit his ceiling, especially given that he’s not the biggest in terms of size.”

“For me, he has somewhat of an old-school second-striker profile, similar to a Michael Owen, for example. He works best alongside a more physically dominant striker, who can occupy defenders, while he drifts around the half spaces or wide. In and around the box, he can be lethal, although it’s important to note that he hasn’t been playing against the best defenders and
goalkeepers.”

Still a raw talent, he’ll relish the chance to learn under Arena’s expert tutelage, which, in alliance with his relentless drive to improve, should position him in good stead to make the most of the opportunity.

“I had a talk with coach [Arena] and my team, and San Jose was the right move for the next step in my career,” stated Jovanović. “The club has done well so far this season, so hopefully I can score as many goals as I can for the club and win some trophies.”

Becoming part of the growing contingent of Aussies in MLS, which includes Aiden O’Neill (New York City), Kai Trewin (New York City), Patrick Yazbek (Nashville SC), Lucas Herrington (Colorado Rapids), Alex Bonetig (Portland Timbers), Kye Rowles (D.C. United), Goodwin, and Ariath Piol (Real Salt Lake), Jovanović will be determined to be the most successful on that list.

With his skill set, there’s every possibility he can do exactly that. He’s a striker who’s a genuine menace in the area, with instinctive finishing and movement that makes him a nightmare for defenders to contain. His 25 goals in 84 appearances across all competitions at Adelaide, despite not being a regular starter, underlines just how dangerous he is.

A poacher who’s attentive to rebounds and reads the play coherently, the San Jose faithful should be in for a real treat watching him whenever he’s in range, for he’s shown he can ripple the back of the net with a nice blend of venom, finesse, invention, and placement.

One man who’s extremely familiar with just how much of a force Jovanović can be is Adelaide United Video Analyst Daniel Quinn, and he summed up Luka’s prowess inside the box well:

“Luka’s greatest asset is his ability in the box and his desire to score goals. Technically, he’s a superb finisher inside the area,” said Quinn.

Analyst Petrov echoed this sentiment, insisting: “I do think that his finishing ability can translate to a higher level, due to the power and precision with which he strikes the ball. He’s capable of firing powerful shots with minimal backlift and does find the corners of the net regularly, even when under pressure.”

His threat doesn’t end there, as he’ll provide a significant direct outlet with his sharply timed runs in behind to add verticality both in transition and in more controlled build‑up sequences. How cleverly he can draw adversaries out of structure is a key weapon in his arsenal too.

Combine his serious burst of speed and the dynamism he carries on the dribble, where his sharp feints, slick shimmies, and crafty changes of pace and direction amplify his nuisance, and he’s a forward who’s incredibly difficult to nullify for 90 minutes.

Another aspect of his game that warrants praise is his dribbling in close quarters, as he can turn on a dime to beat opponents and intelligently weave away from danger to gain separation or win fouls.

By the numbers, beyond ending as the A-League’s top marksman, he ranked joint-sixth for total shots (53), sat 17th in the league for touches inside the box per 90 (4.26), and completed 44 of his 56 attempted dribbles at an impressive 78.6% success rate, which serves as further testament to his class.

Upon comparing him to Judd, he stacks up pretty nicely despite there being a quality gap between MLS and the A-League, for he enjoys the ascendancy in terms of dribbling, progressive runs, passes into the final third, key passes, progressive passing, deep
completions, assisting, interceptions, and defensive duels.

Even though his aerial output isn’t one of his strengths and there’s room for improvement in regards to his distribution and stopping work, many of the indicators are positive that he’ll be able to hold his own upfront in time.

“I also think that’s one of the reasons why he hasn’t been called up to the Socceroos squad yet is that the No. 9 for the Socceroos is regularly isolated against two or three defenders due to the way they play, and Jovanović just wouldn’t be effective in those scenarios,” Petrov explained.

“I’ve seen a lot of people say that he has the potential to play in the top five European leagues, but for me, he’ll first need to show that he’s capable of making the jump to the MLS. In my opinion, that’s a good natural step for him, with the lack of a language barrier being a big positive. Long term, if he could establish himself in the U.S., I think he could become a good player for that level, but I do have my concerns.”

While there’ll be debate about how he’ll fit in, on the surface this looks a smart acquisition. Securing Jovanović for around $700,000 on a deal that keeps him with the Earthquakes through 2027/28, with an option for 2028/29, and slotting him into an Under‑22 Initiative roster spot, shapes as a handy piece of business.

Only time will tell how he fares, but one thing’s certain is it’ll be compelling to see how the Aussie excitement machine handles his next chapter, where he’ll be eager to follow in the footsteps of the many Australians who have paved the way before him.

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