The Portland Timbers have signed goalkeeper Aljaz Ivacic to a contract extension through 2025 with a club option in 2026.
“Aljaz has shown his level of commitment and dedication since joining the club in 2019. He characterizes the type of person and professional that are important within the Portland Timbers organization, “ Timbers general manager Ned Grabavoy shared. “Aljaz has continued to work tirelessly, and is fully deserving of this moment. We look forward to him being a part of the club for years to come.”
Ivacic, 29, enters his fifth season with the club on the heels of a breakout season. In 2022, Ivacic made 32 appearances (all starts) for Portland, earning an 11-10-11 record and six clean sheets. The Ljubljana, Slovenia native finished the MLS season with a league-best 112 saves and ranked fifth overall in goals prevented (5). Ivacic earned himself MLS Team of the Week honors in weeks 7, 19, 22 and 30 and capped off his impressive campaign with the Supporters’ Player of the Year award.
“I’m extremely excited that Aljaz has signed a contract extension with the club. He has worked hard to earn his position within the team,” said Timbers head coach Giovanni Savarese. “We expect him to continue to showcase his great abilities this season and are excited to continue to see him grow with us."
Signing his first contract with the club in 2019, Ivacic joined the Timbers from Slovenian PrvaLiga side NK Olimpija Ljubljana. Upon arrival, Ivacic was loaned to T2, playing in 12 matches with the USL side. Across three seasons with the first team, Ivacic has registered 39 appearances overall with a mark of 13-13-13.
