A former Celtic centre-half is set to depart Europe for the first time and make a move to China.
Filip Benković has reportedly agreed to a move to the Chinese Super League.
The 28-year-old spent a season on loan at Celtic under Brendan Rodgers during the Irishman’s first spell in charge. He made 27 appearances in all competitions and played his part in another treble-winning campaign.
He looked the part for long spells that season.
Calm on the ball, dominant in the air, and comfortable stepping into midfield, he looked like an asset. However, injuries disrupted him at key moments, but there was little doubt about his ability.
He later reunited with Rodgers at Leicester City, having joined the English side in a £13 million move from Dinamo Zagreb in 2018.
That move never truly took off.
Despite the price tag and the early promise, Benković struggled to establish himself at Leicester and found himself drifting through loans and short-term spells.
Since leaving Celtic, he has turned out for seven different clubs across Europe, including Udinese and Bristol City. Stability never really followed.
Now, he looks set for a new challenge in Asia according to the Scottish Sun.
Swedish side AIK have agreed a fee with Shenzhen Peng City, a club operating within the City Football Group structure. Benković has already completed his medical.
He has travelled to Bangkok to link up with his new team at their pre-season training camp in Thailand.
The deal is expected to be worth around £700,000, with an official unveiling due later this week.
For a player once viewed as a long-term Croatian international centre back and a potential mainstay at a high level in England, it has been a winding road.
Celtic supporters will remember the version they saw in large spells: commanding, composed, and part of a side that swept up everything domestically.
Football careers rarely follow the straight line people expect. Benković’s is proof of that.
