Aris Limassol signs Croatian defender Juraj Badelj

Aris Limassol has officially announced the signing of 22-year-old Croatian central defender Juraj Badelj. Born on August 24, 2003, and standing 1.90 meters tall, the player joins the Cypriot club from the Romanian champions, Universitatea Craiova, on a five-year contract that keeps him at the team until the summer of 2031.

Badelj, who had been with the Romanian club since January 2023, played a pivotal role in their 2025-26 season, during which the team secured a domestic treble by winning the league, the Romanian Cup, and the Super Cup. Across his three-and-a-half-year stint in Romania, he made 75 appearances in all competitions, scoring one goal and providing one assist. Before his time in Romania, he began his career at the Hrvatski Dragovoljac academy and spent five months with NK Rudeš.

In addition to his club experience, Badelj has represented Croatia at the U21 national level twice. During the current 2026-27 season, he had already recorded one league appearance and one appearance in the UEFA Champions League qualifiers for his former club before finalizing his transfer to the Cypriot league.