New Record Croatian Goalkeeper Transfer Fee Set

Lovre Kalinić in yellow (photo credit: HNS)

Belgian football club Ghent have purchased Croatian international goalkeeper Lovre Kalinić from Hajduk Split, the club confirmed on Tuesday evening.

Ghent have bought the 26-year-old, 201 cm keeper for a reported 3.1 million euros, which is a Croatian first division record fee for any goalkeeper.

Kalinić, who represented Hajduk Split 134 times and the Croatian national team six times since making his debut in 2014, is looking forward to the new challenge ahead.

“I made my name in goalkeeping at Hajduk. I made the national team and then attracted interest from European clubs. One year ago a transfer we all thought was a done deal fell through. I was paitent and calm and continued to work hard and the Ghent offer came which was satisfying for us all”, Kalinić told Hajduk.hr, before adding.

Lovre at Ghent after the signing (photo: Dalmatinski Portal)

“Split is my city, Hajduk is my club and I will return sooner or later. Ghent is a new challenge. The money they have spent proves they value me and I believe we can do big things together.”

The Hajduk Split captain kept a clean sheet 50 times in nearly 12,000 minutes in goal at the club. Two years in a row he won Croatian Goalkeeper of the Year.

(photo credit: HNS)

In 2015 Ghent clinched their first ever Belgium League title and qualifying for the group stage of the UEFA Champions League.