KOLKATA: SC East Bengal on Wednesday announced the signing of former Lazio defender Franjo Prce from Croatia. The 25-year-old centre-back — the third signing of the red-and-gold team under new coach Manolo Diaz — has joined the city side on a one-year deal.
“I have played with some of the big names in world football and it has helped me grow on and off the field. I think I can use my experience here in the ISL and try to help my team do well,” Prce — pronounced as Parche — was quoted as saying in an SC East Bengal press release.
“I am eagerly waiting for my experience in India and I also know this club has a massive fan base. It’s a shame that they can’t be with us in the stands but we will play for them. We always play for the fans,” he added.
At Lazio, Prce shared the dressing room with the likes of former Germany striker Miroslav Klose and Italy’s Euro-2020 winner Ciro Immobile. He also featured for his country in the 2013 Fifa under-17 World Cup.
Hailing from the municipality of Stolac in Herzegovina, Prce moved to Split when he was nine. He started his career with the youth academy of Croatian club Hajduk Split before moving in 2014 to Lazio in Italy.
Meanwhile, the club is also understood to have roped in Nigerian striker Daniel Chima. Chima has had the experience of plying his trade in Norwegian and Chinese professional leagues.
SC East Bengal will host Jamshedpur FC in their opening game of the ISL-8 at the Tilak Maidan on November 21.
