Alessandro Pajola is switching to the black-and-white team. And he’s not the only one.

After the numerous departures that marked the summer, Partizan Belgrade is working to rebuild its roster ahead of the upcoming season. The Serbian club is reportedly targeting two players who have played for Virtus Bologna: Alen Smailagic and Alessandro Pajola.

For Smailagic, this would mark a return. The Serbian big man previously played for Partizan from 2021 to 2024, and according to reports from Kurir and Mozzart Sport, a deal is nearly finalized, with only the final details remaining to be worked out before the contract is signed.

The Belgrade club reportedly decided to speed up the deal after negotiations for Zach LeDay stalled. Smailagic, for his part, is set to leave Virtus Bologna, which reportedly chose not to extend his contract, granting him a severance package of approximately 200,000 euros for the early termination of the agreement.

After his stint with Partizan, the center—born in 2000—played for Panathinaikos before joining Virtus, where he averaged 7.4 points and 2.5 rebounds per game last season.

Partizan, however, isn’t stopping there. Alessandro Pajola is also reportedly on his way from Virtus. According to the Corriere di Bologna, the transfer of the Italian national team point guard is now in the final stages and is not expected to face any major obstacles.

For Pajola, this would mark his first experience playing abroad after a career spent entirely with the V Nere, a team he has played for since the youth ranks. With the Bologna-based club, the point guard won a EuroCup and a Basketball Champions League title before embarking on a new adventure with Partizan.