FK Vardar have moved swiftly to take control of Rogers Mato’s future amid growing transfer interest, formally placing a €1.5 million price tag on the highly-rated Ugandan attacker during the ongoing winter window.
The Skopje giants, who currently sit top of the Macedonian First Football League, confirmed the decision in a public statement as clubs across Europe intensify their pursuit of the 22-year-old.
“FK Vardar AD informs the public that, due to increased interest from several foreign clubs in our player Rogers Kassim Mato, the Club’s Management has decided to set a buyout clause in the amount of €1,500,000,” says the Skopje-based club.
According to r.og, Heart of Midlothian remain at the forefront of the race.
The Scottish Premiership side have already seen an opening €350,000 bid knocked back, but sources indicate the rejection has not cooled their interest. Hearts view Mato as a potential difference-maker as they push to close the gap on Old Firm heavyweights Celtic and Rangers in the title race.
However, the Edinburgh outfit are far from alone. Turkish Super Lig side Trabzonspor have now entered the picture, monitoring Mato’s situation closely and weighing up a possible move as they look to bolster their attacking options in January.
Vardar, for their part, are understandably hesitant to cash in halfway through the campaign. Mato has been central to their domestic charge, emerging as joint-top scorer in the league with 12 goals, while also netting three times in the UEFA Conference League qualifiers. His overall return stands at an impressive 15 goals in just 17 appearances across all competitions this season.
The Ugandan international initially joined Vardar from FK AP Brera Strumica on a one-and-a-half-year deal running until the summer of 2026. With 41 senior caps to his name, Mato is also understood to have quietly agreed to an improved contract extension in recent months, further strengthening the club’s hand in negotiations.
As Hearts continue talks and Trabzonspor lurk in the background, Vardar have made one thing clear: any club hoping to prise away one of the most in-form forwards in the Balkans will have to meet their €1.5 million valuation.
