Vardar stalled in pursuit of Stefan Ristovski after Instagram yacht photo

Vardar's plans to secure Stefan Ristovski have stalled after the defender posted a photograph on his official Instagram showing him relaxing on a yacht with former national team coach Igor Angelovski. The appearance comes just hours before the transfer window deadline.

Ristovski had been widely promoted on social media as the club's new signing and was expected to complete paperwork and be presented as a Vardar player. The 33-year-old is an experienced professional and a former captain of the national team, and he is currently a free agent following the termination of his contract with Sarajevo.

On his Instagram Story, Ristovski appears aboard a yacht alongside Angelovski. The Story featured the song line "For the good old times..." which immediately generated reactions because Angelovski remains a sensitive figure in domestic football after a mutual exchange of words and criticism with the Football Federation earlier this year.

Transfer deadlines and implications

The domestic registration rules also complicate any immediate move: the international transfer window for signing foreigners or returnees with certificate requests expires on September 6, 2026 at midnight, while purely domestic transfers are allowed until Wednesday. Given those deadlines, Vardar and Ristovski are now distant from finalising a deal that would bring the player back to his boyhood club.

Club officials have not confirmed a new timeline for talks, and the social-media fallout has left supporters uncertain whether the long-anticipated return of the "child of Vardar" will happen before the window closes.

Photo: press material from the event