Ivan Perišić tells his side of the story after leaving Hajduk Split

by croatiaweek
August 14, 2024
in Sport

Ivan Perišić

Ivan Perišić has left Croatian club Hajduk Split just months after moving to the club. This news was confirmed on Tuesday by Hajduk’s sporting director, Nikola Kalinić.

The team’s manager, Gennaro Gattuso, had already mentioned that Perišić informed him of his desire to leave. Everyone has shared their side of the story except for the man at the centre of it all.

Perišić has received a lot of abuse from fans not happy with what has unfolded and accused the 35-year-old of only using the club to rehabilitate from injury so he could go to Euro 2024.

Now, Perišić himself has told his side of the story.

“I came to Hajduk hoping we could achieve our dream together and win the title. I had a good contract at Tottenham, and even while injured, I received an excellent offer from a major foreign club where I would have had fantastic conditions for rehabilitation and at least the same chances of playing as I did here.

Instead, at the club’s and the fans’ request, I chose a life away from my family, who live abroad, hoping I could help in the fight for the title and to qualify for the Champions League group stage,” Perišić told Dalmatinski Portal.

Last summer, Perišić received lucrative offers from Saudi Arabia, MLS, and Qatar. As for recovering from his injury, he had all the necessary conditions in London, at Tottenham, where his family also resided at the time.

“No matter what state I was in, at every moment, even when I played in the Cup match against Dinamo against all doctors’ advice, risking an injury that could have ended my career, I gave everything to achieve our shared goal.

From the first day until now, I have honoured the agreements, contracts, set rules, and my word. I even turned down offers from serious clubs twice after the Euros to help the club this summer,” he said.

One of those clubs was Sevilla, according to Dalmatinski Portal, not Barcelona as was previously reported.

“Surely, it’s clear to everyone that I didn’t choose Hajduk and Split for the money or medical care. In my desire to help, I’ve often put my health and family second, and I don’t regret it because I don’t know any other way.

However, on Sunday night, someone else decided that my help was no longer needed,” was all Perišić had to say on the topic of Gennaro Gattuso.

He concluded by saying, “As for last season, unfortunately, we didn’t succeed. As much as the failure weighs on me, just as it does on all the lads and every fan who has been waiting nearly 20 years for the title, failure is also part of football.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve seen Hajduk as something great, and I will continue to act that way in this incredibly difficult moment for me and my family. I wish the club all the best—victory on Thursday, qualification for Europe, and winning the title, regardless of who is at the club.”