Seattle Sounders acquire Nikola Petković on loan from Charlotte FC | OneFootball

By MLSsoccer staff

TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Loan

Seattle Sounders FC have acquired midfielder Nikola Petković on loan from Charlotte FC through the 2026 season, the clubs announced Thursday.

In exchange for Petković, Charlotte receive a third-round pick in the 2027 MLS SuperDraft and up to $250,000 in 2027 General Allocation Money (GAM) if certain performance-based metrics are achieved.

The 22-year-old Serbian international will occupy a U22 Initiative slot for Seattle.

“Nikola is a young talent who has already gained valuable experience at both the club and international level,” said Sounders general manager & chief soccer officer Craig Waibel. 

“He’s been in a very competitive environment in Charlotte over the past several years and understands what’s required to be successful in our league. We believe this loan gives us an opportunity to work with him to get him closer to achieving his goal of being a weekly contributor at the first team level.”

Petković made 24 all-competition appearances for Charlotte from 2024-2025, contributing 2g/1a. He spent 2023 with Charlotte's MLS NEXT Pro affiliate Crown Legacy FC, recording 3g/4a in 18 games.

Before joining Crown Legacy, Petković played for Serbian side FK Čukarički. He's featured extensively for Serbia's youth national teams and received his first senior cap in January 2023.

“I’m looking forward to getting Nikola into our environment and seeing him with the group,” said head coach Brian Schmetzer.

“He’s a player with a good skillset and someone who has familiarity with our league, and we want to see how those traits translate within our system. This loan gives us an opportunity to work with him and understand how he can help the team over the course of the season.”

Seattle's 2026 MLS season kicks off on Feb. 22 at home against the Colorado Rapids (9 pm ET | Apple TV, FS1)

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