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SLAVISA JOKANOVIC
Date of Birth: 16 August, 1968
Nationality: Yugoslavia (international)
Period at Deportivo: 1999 - 2000
Transfer: 700 mln pesetas (€4,5 million) (1999, from Tenerife)
Clubs: Ciudad de Murcia, Chelsea (2000-2003), Deportivo (1999-2000), Tenerife (1995-1999), Oviedo (1993-1995), Partizan Belgrade (1990-1993), Vojvodina (1988-1990), Novi Sad (1985-1988)
Sold: 475 million pesetas (€2,9 million) (2000, Chelsea)
Height: 191 cm
Weight: 87 kg
Position: Midfielder (central)
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 The time of SLAVISA JOKANOVIC at Deportivo was short but very successful: he became Spanish champions with them during his only season in La Coruña. It was the crown on his seven years in Spain before he moved on to Chelsea.
Aged barely seventeen Jokanovic made his professional debut at Novi Sad, but he became known in the European world of football because of the excellent performances he gave during his time at Partizan Belgrade (1990-1993). He even scored thirteen league goals for them during the season 1992/1993 and attracted the interest of several European clubs. Oviedo were among them and paid about €1 million to take him to Spain. His debut in the Primera División he made on 3 October, 1993 during the match against Sevilla.
In two years he played a total of sixty-two matches for them and scored twelve goals. His performances as organizing midfielder, with a great vision, helped Oviedo finishing ninth twice in a row and Tenerife showed their interest. Those days the island club were among the sub-top of Spanish football and were prepared to pay almost €4 million for the 27-year old player. His debut for Yugoslavia he made as an Oviedo player when the international boycott on the country was lifted. It concerned a match against Brazil and in total he would play almost fifty matches for his country.
But with the years going by the performances of his new club, Tenerife, decreased. In his first two seasons at the island he played another sixty-four matches and produced twelve goals. But not even Jokanovic could avoid the drop of Tenerife who barely avoided relegation in 1998 but one year later went down to the Segunda División.
 For Lendoiro it was an unique possibility to take this tall midfielder to La Coruña. But he wasn’t cheap as the president of Deportivo had to pay about €4,5 million. Jokanovic signed a contract running until 2002 and found his ex-Tenerife colleague Roy Makaay joining him at their new club. The Yugoslavian player quickly became important for the club and started most of their matches next to Mauro Silva in midfield. He also scored two vital goals which gave Deportivo a much needed away win at Sevilla (1-3) in April.
It may have been this match which made Deportivo champions that campaign because the team usually didn’t take much points from away matches. But on 19 May, 2000 he started the final match of the season against Espanyol and afterwards celebrated the title win together with his colleagues. After two league titles in Yugoslavia it was his first trophy in Spain.
But in 2000 president Lendoiro broaded the squad of Deportivo and signed three new midfielders capable of playing at his position: Emerson, Duscher and César Sampaio. As the midfield now was overcrowded, Deportivo agreed with a bid of almost €3 million Chelsea made in October. Jokanovic became Claudio Ranieri's first signing following the departure of Gianluca Vialli and he was brought in because of the long term injury to Roberto Di Matteo. He played at the London-based until 2003 when he was given a free transfer. He decided to join Ciudad de Murcia where he spent the season 2003/2004 aged thirty-five.
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