One To Watch: Andrija Bulatović
With plenty of tumult in Lens this summer as the club re-balanced after a run of success, few knew Andrija Bulatović's name, but the young Montenegrin midfielder looks to be changing that rapidly. Learn more in our latest one to watch.
A precocious start
Born in Bijelo Polje in northern Montenegro, Bulatović moved with his family to the small mountain city of Kolasin. Rising through the ranks in the Montenegrin league, he made his debut in the second division with FC Kom, the same club that produced international striker Predrag Mijatović. Just sixteen at the time, his precocious play garnered notice quickly, and he soon moved to the top flight with FK Rudar Pljevlja.
A further season there saw him move to the country's most successful club, FK Budućnost Podgorica. Scoring five goals as he made more than thirty appearances, he also featured four times in the Conference League. His star was further burnished by being a part of his country's U-19 team, who qualified for the European Championships for the first time in their history last summer. After signing for Lens in February, he returned to Podgorica on loan to close out the campaign and finished the season as a domestic champion celebrating his first senior call-up at the age of 18.
𝟏ère dans le 𝟏𝟏 🆕
Andrija Bulatovic a connu sa première titularisation avec le Racing en @Ligue1 lors de #FCNRCL.#FiersDEtreLensois pic.twitter.com/IGTKyPHbvR— Racing Club de Lens (@RCLens) December 7, 2025
TAKING A STEP UP IN France
Back in France this season, there appeared to be manifest opportunities for him to establish himself, with Neil El Aynaoui and Andy Diouf both having departed in the summer. But in Pierre Sage's two-man midfield, opportunities would be hard to come by, and his task was hardly eased by Adrien Thomasson adapting into a deeper role, nor Mamadou Sangaré arriving at the same time. Too, injuries have played their part as he had missed a large chunk of the autumn with niggles.
But despite his absence, he was hardly far from Sage's mind, as the manager was effusive in his praise upon seeing him for the first time this summer, saying, "He is full of talent. He is someone who works a lot and really fits my own demanding standards. I see him as a bright hope for the future and I look forward to helping him to reach his own heights."
This weekend, with the pressure on a team ranked atop the league, he would have his chance, starting for the first time with Thomasson suspended. A real midfield metronome, Bulatović's greatest asset is his passing nous, and it was on full display on Saturday -- he even took the corners for his team. Whereas Sangaré's play is all-action, the Montenegrin offers a more restrained style on the pitch, letting his distribution do the work. There's more to his game than his passing, though -- he also suffered four fouls this weekend, and made more tackles than anyone on either team save Sangaré, showing his preternatural maturity. While Thomasson is likely to come back in following his return, should Sage want a tactical shift, or to have a bit more energy in a crucial match, Bulatović is no doubt ready to rise to the occasion.
