Lazio Target Franjo Ivanovic for Guaranteed Starting Role
Lazio are moving decisively for Benfica striker Franjo Ivanovic, convinced they can offer what others cannot: a guaranteed place at the heart of an attack.
The 22-year-old Croatia international only arrived in Lisbon last summer, Benfica investing €22.8m to bring him in from Union Saint-Gilloise. One season on, the numbers tell a mixed story. Eight goals, two assists, 42 competitive appearances – but just 13 starts. For a forward entering the most important phase of his development, that detail matters more than any fee.
Ivanovic has made it clear, according to Sportitalia’s Alfredo Pedullà, that his next move will be dictated by one thing above all: playing time. Not the badge, not the league, not the salary. Minutes.
That is where Lazio believe they have found their opening.
The Roman club have reportedly asked Benfica for a dry loan, a straight season-long deal with no option to buy. It is a proposal that speaks volumes: Lazio want a hungry striker ready to explode now, while Benfica keep control of an asset they still rate highly. A short-term solution for one, a development path for the other.
They are not alone in the chase. Como have shown interest as they build their Serie A project. Galatasaray, with their fierce title expectations and intense atmosphere, are in the frame. Hull City are also watching, hoping the Championship can be a launchpad rather than a step back. Real Betis have been linked too, seeing in Ivanovic the kind of mobile centre-forward who can thrive in La Liga.
The competition is varied, the profiles of the clubs very different. That only sharpens the question: where does a young international striker go to become a guaranteed starter?
Ivanovic’s rise with Croatia adds another layer. He broke into the senior national team last year and already has two goals and one assist in nine caps. Those numbers, at his age, underline why he is unwilling to spend another season looking at the pitch from the bench.
For Lazio, the pitch is simple. Come to Rome, lead the line, play every week. For Benfica, the decision is more delicate. They paid heavily to sign him and have seen enough to know his ceiling is high, but they also know that another year of limited starts could stall his progress – and his value.
The market will decide where he lands. Ivanovic, though, has already set the terms. The next shirt he pulls on must come with something far more precious than a transfer headline: a guaranteed place in the starting XI, and the chance to prove he is more than a rotation piece in someone else’s squad.
