One of last season’s standout foreign players in the Kyrgyz Premier League, Harun Karić is returning to Kyrgyzstan after a short spell with Kosovo side Prishtina.
Bosnian midfielder Harun Karić is already a familiar name to Kyrgyz football fans. In 2025, he played for Abdysh-Ata before moving to Karakol-based Bars, where he went on to become a Kyrgyz Premier League champion.
By the end of the season, Karić had established himself as one of the league’s standout foreign players, making 26 appearances, scoring nine goals and providing two assists.
During the winter, Karić moved to Kosovo and signed with Prishtina, one of the country’s most recognised clubs. However, that chapter of his career proved to be short-lived. The Bosnian was unable to establish himself as a regular starter, making just nine appearances across all competitions.
According to Karić’s agent, Amil Shukalo, head of Bosnian football agency Pro Talent Sportmanagement, the midfielder’s departure was not linked to one specific issue.
“I can’t reveal his new club in Kyrgyzstan yet. As for Kosovo, there were major changes. Over six months, a lot changed within Prishtina’s structure and coaching staff. Nothing specific really happened. He just wasn’t happy there, and after that we proposed terminating the contract,” Sukalo told Eurasia Football.
Interest in Karić quickly emerged following his departure.
“Shortly after we announced he was available, several clubs contacted us. One of them was very serious, presented a good project, and that was enough for us to quickly accept the offer and finalise the deal. Especially because Harun has very good memories of Kyrgyzstan.”
Shukalo does not view Karić’s return to Kyrgyzstan as a step backwards. According to him, the midfielder had other options to continue his career in Central Asia, including some that were more financially attractive.
“I definitely don’t see returning to Kyrgyzstan as a step backwards. Kyrgyzstan is clearly improving season by season. We had offers from other Central Asian countries, maybe even better ones financially, but we chose Kyrgyzstan because of the project and because we believe it is the right direction for Harun,” Sukalo said.
The agent also shared his thoughts on the development of the Kyrgyz league. In his view, the expansion of the competition, combined with a reduction in the number of foreign players allowed in starting line-ups, could have an impact on the overall level of the league.
“I understand that the federation had good intentions, but based on experiences in other countries, local players develop best either through highly competitive matches or in well-organised leagues for reserve teams.
“The reality is that good foreign players also help local players improve faster, but only if the overall level of the league remains high.
“Right now, we can see several matches in each round that, because of this, do not look truly competitive,” Sukalo added.