BAKU, August 1, 2025
Azerbaijani midfielder Rufat Abdullazade has officially signed a three-year deal with Croatian side NK Varaždin—but the transfer came at a personal cost.
According to fanat.az, the 24-year-old had to pay his former club, Sabail FK, 60,000 manats to terminate his contract early and join Varaždin as a free agent.
Interestingly, the payment was made not by the Croatian club, but by Abdullazade himself.
Sabail had previously rejected a transfer bid from Turkish club Erzurumspor for the player. By settling the fee directly, Abdullazade bypassed further negotiations and secured his move to Europe independently.
A product of Sumgayit FC’s youth system, Abdullazade joined Sabail in 2023. His contract was set to expire next summer, but he chose to fast-track his exit in pursuit of international opportunities.
His bold decision marks a significant step in his career—and a rare example of a player financing his own release to seek growth abroad.
