Where will Franjo Ivanović continue his career?

The Croatian striker is going on a one-year loan from Benfica to French club Lens.

Why did Ivanović choose Lens over Lazio?

According to Lazio coach Gennaro Gattuso, Ivanović decided to go to Lens because the club is playing in the Champions League this season.

Does Lens have an option to buy Ivanović's contract?

No, Lens will not have a purchase option on his contract, which runs until the summer of 2027.

Football

Gattuso reveals why Ivanović chose Lens

Q: How much did Benfica pay for Ivanović a year ago?

Benfica brought him from Belgian club Union Saint-Gilloise for €22.8 million, which was the biggest transfer of a Croatian player that summer.

B.N. · Prije 16h | 2 min

Croatian international Franjo Ivanović is one step away from a loan move to French club Lens, which will pay his wages for a year but without a purchase option. Lazio had a deal with Benfica, but the player decided otherwise.

Summary

Franjo Ivanović (22) is traveling to France for a medical with Lens.
Benfica is sending him on a one-year loan without a purchase option.
Lazio had a deal with Benfica, but Ivanović chose Lens because of the Champions League.
He failed to impress under Mourinho last season, and competition has increased with the arrival of Jhon Durán.

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Croatian international Franjo Ivanović (22) is on the verge of joining French club Lens. According to Portuguese newspapers O Jogo and Record, Benfica will loan their striker to the club competing in the Champions League this season, and he is expected to travel to France for a medical soon.

Champions League decisive over Lazio

Besides Lens, Spanish club Betis, English club Hull City, and Italian club Lazio have also shown interest in the 22-year-old Croatian striker. The Rome-based club was the most concrete and had Benfica's approval for the transfer, but the player's final decision was different.

Lazio coach Gennaro Gattuso confirmed to O Jogo that his club did everything to bring in Ivanović. "We had Benfica's approval, and then I spoke with the player. He decided to go to Lens because they play in the Champions League. What can we do? Maybe we should have talked to him earlier," O Jogo quotes Gattuso as saying.

Loan without purchase option

According to information from Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manha, Ivanović has already received the Lisbon club's consent to travel to France. Lens will pay his wages during the one-year loan, but they will not have the option to buy out his contract, which runs until the summer of 2027.

Last season, Ivanović failed to establish himself in Benfica's starting lineup. Then-coach José Mourinho preferred a formation with a single striker, favoring Greek international Vangelis Pavlidis. Mourinho left Benfica this summer to take over Real Madrid, and Marco Silva arrived from Fulham to replace him.

Increased competition in Lisbon

An additional challenge for Ivanović is the arrival of 22-year-old Colombian international Jhon Durán, who joined this summer, adding to the competition in the Lisbon club's attack. Benfica brought in the Croatian striker a year ago from Belgian club Union Saint-Gilloise for €22.8 million, which was the biggest transfer of a Croatian player that summer.