Former Celtic loanee and treble winner Filip Benković has found a new home, signing for Swedish side AIK Stockholm.
The 27-year-old Croatian defender had been without a club since leaving Udinese in the summer of 2024 and now looks to kickstart his career in the Allsvenskan.
Benković had a reasonably successful loan spell at Celtic in the 2018/19 season under Brendan Rodgers, where he made nineteen appearances in the league and in helping the Hoops secure a domestic treble.
The towering centre-back quickly endeared himself to the Celtic faithful with his composure, aerial ability, and defensive solidity.
However, his career never quite reached the same heights after returning to Leicester City. Following his stint at Parkhead, Benković was loaned out multiple times, including spells at Bristol City, Cardiff City, and OH Leuven. Despite being highly rated as a youngster, he struggled to establish himself in Leicester’s first team when Brendan Rodgers was in charge, before signing for Udinese in 2022.
Struggles for Game Time
Benković’s time at Udinese mirrored much of his recent career. He failed to secure a regular starting spot and was subsequently loaned out again, most recently to Trabzonspor in Turkey. After leaving Udinese last summer, the defender had been searching for a new opportunity, and AIK Stockholm have now provided him with the chance to rebuild his career.
Fresh Start in Sweden
AIK Stockholm will be hoping to unlock the potential that Benković showed during his time at Celtic. For the player, it represents an opportunity to find stability and regular game time after several years of uncertainty.
