Where are they now: Milos Degenek

Much like Eloy Room, who was the first in our look at former Crew players, Milos Degenek’s fate with the club was also affected greatly by an injury.

Degenek signed with the Crew in January of 2022. After no longer being used as a starter for Red Star Belgrade of the Serbian first division, he looked at his new club as an opportunity to stay sharp in preparation for the 2022 World Cup. The veteran center back played in 28 games for the Crew before appearing in all four of Australia’s World Cup matches in what was his second World Cup with them. Although he was born in Croatia, Degenek plays internationally for Australia.

2023 started well enough, as he started 10 of the 12 Crew games in which he appeared. But an injury in late April forced him from the lineup and, thanks to the solid play of Sean Zawadzki on the back line, Degenek was never able to find his way back to the starting 11. Late in the July transfer window, he was sent back to Red Star Belgrade.

Degenek hit the ground running for his new club. He started four of their five games in August and turned in an excellent performance against Spartak on August 23rd. He was used as a sub in a September Champions League match with Man City, but after that…almost nothing. Degenek has played in just one game for only 22 minutes in the last four months-a span of fourteen matches. In all, the 29-year-old has seen the field just seven times in what is his third stint with Red Star Belgrade.

Could another transfer be in the near future? Possibly, but Degenek is near his family and may be reluctant to leave unless it is to another club in Serbia.