Born in Croatia on 6 April 2000, Ante Palaversa now aged 25, is a diligent midfielder currently plying his trade for Aberdeen. Known to primarily occupy a central midfield role, Palaversa sports the number 18 on his kit. He cuts an imposing figure on the pitch standing at around 6ft 1in (1.87m) and weighing approximately 12st 1lb (77kg). He also has international experience, having represented the Croatia U21 national team.
His career began to take shape in July 2014, when he joined Hajduk Split in the Croatian HNL as a trainee. His talent certainly did not go unnoticed, boasting a current market value of about £466k, according to Transfermarkt.
Palaversa's career saw an upward trajectory as in January 2019, he made a significant move from Hajduk Split to Manchester City in the Premier League for a transfer fee of roughly around £7m. Shortly following his move to Manchester City, he was loaned back out to Hajduk Split.
July 2019 saw another temporary move for Palaversa, who was transferred on loan to Oostende in the Belgian Derde Klasse. During his inaugural 2019 - 2020 season at Oostende, Palaversa managed to accumulate 19 first team appearances in league matches. His next loan spell came in Spain, as he moved from Manchester City to LaLiga side Getafe in August 2020. In the 2020 - 2021 season at Getafe, Palaversa saw limited action with only two first team appearances.
The trend of loan moves continued for Palaversa, as in January 2021, he was again shipped off on loan, this time to Kortrijk in the Belgian Challenger Pro League. His stint with Kortrijk saw him register nine first team appearances and two goals during the 2020 - 2021 season. Palaversa had an extended stay at Kortrijk for the 2021 - 2022 season, proving to be a useful asset with 30 first team appearances and one goal.
His services were finally permanently requested by French side Troyes in August 2022, transferring from Manchester City for an undisclosed fee. He had limited impact at the club during his two seasons, appearing a total of eight times and netting a single goal.
Finally, Palaversa made his move to Scotland, transferring from Troyes in the French Ligue 2 to Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership in August 2024. He proved to be a pivotal player in his first season (2024-2025) at Aberdeen making 30 first team appearances and scoring two goals. In the current season (2025-2026), Palaversa has so far showcased his talents in seven first team appearances.
Palaversa has also contributed significantly in cup competitions for Aberdeen, with a record of one start and one substitute appearance in the League Cup 2025 - 2026, one substitute appearance in the Scottish Cup in the same season, two starts in the Europa League Qualifiers 2025 - 2026 and finally, one start and two substitute appearances in the Conference League 2025 - 2026.
