Although Maribor has not yet officially confirmed Gregor Sikošek's departure, his new club Varaždin has included the 31-year-old Slovenian full-back on the list of players traveling to the United Arab Emirates for preparations. The move is considered a formality after Maribor, whom he joined in July 2021, decided Sikošek was no longer in their plans for the remainder of the season, despite him making 10 league appearances and scoring one goal. The former Slovenian international, who has 11 caps for his country and a current Transfermarkt market value of €250k, will be playing in the Croatian league for the second time, having previously featured for HNK Gorica; his contract with Maribor was set to expire on May 31, 2026.