Lazio Pursues Franjo Ivanovic for Starting Role

Lazio have stepped into the race for Benfica forward Franjo Ivanovic, betting that the one thing they can guarantee the young Croatian is the one thing he wants most: time on the pitch.

At 22, Ivanovic is already on his second major move in as many summers. Benfica paid €22.8m to prise him from Union Saint-Gilloise last year, a statement fee for a player they saw as part of their next attacking cycle. The numbers from his first season in Lisbon are respectable enough: eight goals and two assists across 42 competitive appearances.

The problem lies beneath the surface. Only 13 of those outings came from the start.

For a striker trying to establish himself at the sharp end of European football, cameos and late substitutions are no longer enough. According to Sportitalia’s Alfredo Pedullà, Ivanovic has made it clear that regular starts will dictate his next move more than salary, league, or prestige. He wants a team, not a rotation slot.

Lazio sense an 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 centre-forward to plug in immediately, while Benfica keep long-term control of an asset they invested heavily in just a year ago.

There is no shortage of suitors. Como, newly ambitious in Serie A, have shown interest. Galatasaray, with their relentless title expectations in the Turkish Super Lig, are in the frame. Hull City, pushing to climb the English ladder, are watching the situation. Real Betis have also been linked.

Each club offers a different stage. Lazio’s pitch is simple: come to Rome and lead the line.

Ivanovic already carries the weight of a rising international. He broke into the Croatia senior side last year and has two goals and one assist from nine caps, a return that hints at a player who can translate club form to the highest level when trusted with responsibility.

For now, the decision rests on a single question that matters more than transfer fees or badge prestige: who can truly hand him the minutes to grow from promising talent into undisputed starter?