Jacob Ondrejka Joins Groningen on Loan from Parma

FC Groningen have moved to sharpen their attacking options, bringing in Jacob Ondrejka on loan from Parma as the Swedes’ search for form takes him back to familiar territory in the Low Countries.

The 23-year-old attacking midfielder is aiming to link up with his new teammates in time to be involved in Groningen’s second Eredivisie fixture of the season, at home to newly promoted ADO Den Haag on Sunday. If the paperwork and logistics fall into place, he could be thrown straight into the matchday squad.

This will not be Ondrejka’s first taste of football in this corner of Europe. He impressed just across the border in Belgium with Antwerp, where his sharp movement and end product turned heads and ultimately earned him his move to Serie A.

His journey started in Sweden with Landskrona BoIS, before Elfsborg snapped him up in 2020. There, he grew from promising youngster into key contributor: 110 appearances, 20 goals, and a reputation as a dynamic, forward-thinking midfielder.

Antwerp came calling in the summer of 2023. The switch to Belgium suited him. In a season and a half with the Great Old, Ondrejka featured 55 times, scoring 12 goals and adding seven assists. By the midway point of his second campaign, his numbers were eye-catching: seven goals and five assists in 26 matches. Parma took note and moved quickly, securing his signature and giving him a shot at Italy’s top flight.

He started brightly in Serie A. In the run-in to that first season, he played 12 games for Parma and found the net five times, a promising return for a new arrival adapting to a different league and tempo.

Then the momentum stalled.

Last season, Ondrejka managed just 17 appearances. No goals. No assists. For a player who thrives on rhythm and confidence, the stop-start nature of his Italian spell became a problem rather than a platform.

Parma still believe in his long-term potential – his contract runs until 2029 – but Groningen now offer what he needs most: minutes, responsibility, and a stage to rediscover the swagger he showed in Antwerp’s colours.

For the Dutch side, it is a calculated move. For Ondrejka, it looks like a reset. The question now is whether a return to the Low Countries can unlock the version of Jacob Ondrejka that once made him one of the most intriguing attacking midfielders in the region.