An in-depth look into our new winter recruit, Ivor Pandur…
The Croatian goalkeeper began his career at his hometown club Rijeka when first signing as a youth product in 2011. Spending eight years in the academy, the stopper featured five times for the Under-19s in the 2018 Viareggio Cup, keeping two clean sheets before being knocked out in the quarter-finals 1-0 against Juventus. He also earned a winner’s medal in the 2018/19 Croatian Cup after sitting on the bench in the second round, round of 16 and quarter-finals.
In October 2019, the 23-year-old made his senior debut for RJK in a Croatian Football Cup second round tie against NK Buje, keeping a clean sheet in an 11-0 victory. Being an unused substitute in 17 consecutive league fixtures, two months after his senior debut, Pandur made his league bow in a 3-1 victory at home to NK Varazdin.
Keeping 10 clean sheets in 21 appearances in his breakout campaign, the 23-year-old played in the 2019/20 Croatian Cup final, keeping a clean sheet in a 1-0 victory over NK Lokomotiva Zagreb.
Playing the first two fixtures of the 2020/21 Supersport HNL season, the shot-stopper made the switch to then Serie A side Hellas Verona in August 2020, signing a five-year contract. Waiting two months for his Verona debut, Pandur made an instant impact when saving two penalties in the shootout in a third round Italy Cup victory over Venezia.
Featuring in the fourth round of the competition, he had to wait until May 2021 to make his Serie A debut in a 1-1 draw against Torino. Featuring in the final four league games of the campaign, despite starting the opening game of the following season, game time was limited for Pandur, who missed three months with a shoulder injury.
In July 2022, Pandur agreed a one-season loan deal with an option to buy at Eredivisie side Fortuna Sittard. Making his debut for the Dutch outfit in a narrow 2-1 defeat against Heerenveen a month later, he became the regular number one for the club, keeping seven clean sheets in 31 appearances.
In April 2023, Fortuna made the deal permanent, signing him to a four-year contract. He began the 2023/24 campaign again as the regular number one, playing 18 times in all competitions, keeping six clean sheets, including one against 36-time winners of the Eredivisie AFC Ajax.
Internationally, Pandur has featured for Croatia at Under-15, Under-17, Under-18, Under-19, Under-20 and Under-21 levels. Earning a total of 20 caps for his country, beginning in April 2015, the most caps he has earned at a certain age group is six at both Under-19 and Under-21 levels.
