LONDON: Leicester City has signed Croatian defender Filip Benkovic from Dinamo Zagreb on a five-year deal, the Premier League club said on Thursday. Leicester did not disclose the transfer fee but British media reports said the 21-year-old cost about 13 million pounds. Benkovic, a Croatian under-21 international, arrives at the King Power Stadium after an impressive 2017-18 campaign with Zagreb in which he made 30 appearances in all competitions and helped them clinch the Croatian league title. “Filip is an exciting young player who has the potential to develop even more at Leicester,” Leicester boss Claude Puel told the club website. “He has made a big contribution to Dinamo Zagreb over the last three years and has also benefited from experiencing European football. “I know he will give us some great options and competition in the squad and I’m delighted to have him here.” Benkovic will become Leicester’s sixth close-season signing after Jonny Evans, James Maddison, Ricardo Pereira and Danny Ward and Rachid Ghezzal, subject to international clearance. The young defender will link up with his new team mates ahead of Friday’s league opener against Manchester United. Published in Daily Times, August 10th 2018.