Lazio Pursues Franjo Ivanovic for Central Role

Lazio have picked their man. While half of Europe circles around Franjo Ivanovic, the Roman club believe they can offer the one thing the 22-year-old craves more than a big fee or a glamorous destination: a guaranteed place on the pitch.

The Croatia international joined Benfica only last summer from Union Saint-Gilloise in a deal worth €22.8m, a clear statement that the Portuguese giants saw him as a forward for the present, not just the future. The numbers are respectable for a first season in Lisbon: eight goals and two assists in 42 competitive appearances.

The problem lies in the fine print. Only 13 of those games came from the start.

For a young striker trying to cement his place with Croatia, cameos and late substitutions are no longer enough. According to Sportitalia’s Alfredo Pedullà, Ivanovic has made regular playing time the decisive factor in choosing his next club, and everything else sits in second place.

That stance has opened the door for Lazio. Convinced they can offer him a central role rather than a supporting act, the Biancocelesti have reportedly approached Benfica with a proposal for a dry loan – a straight season-long deal with no option to buy. It is a move that underlines both their belief in Ivanovic’s immediate impact and Benfica’s desire to keep control of his long-term future.

The competition is real. Como have put his name on their list as they build for life in Serie A, Galatasaray are watching from the Turkish Super Lig, and Hull City have joined the queue from England. Real Betis have also been linked, adding La Liga to the mix of possible destinations.

Yet Lazio sense an opening. In Rome, they can sell him a clear narrative: a big club, European ambitions, and a forward line that needs fresh energy and goals. Not a rotation role. A starting shirt.

Ivanovic’s international trajectory only sharpens the stakes. He broke into the senior Croatia side last year and already has two goals and one assist from nine caps. For a striker at that stage of his career, every weekend on the bench is a step backwards.

Benfica must now weigh their options. Keep a talented but restless forward in a crowded attack, or let him leave temporarily to grow elsewhere and return sharper, more decisive, and more valuable.

Lazio, for their part, are betting that a season in Rome could be the making of him. The question is simple and ruthless, the kind that defines careers: where does Franjo Ivanovic want to spend his prime – in the queue, or on the pitch?