Filip Krovinović arrives at The Hawthorns on a season-long loan from Benfica to add more creativity and versatility to Albion’s midfield.
The 23-year-old comes with plenty of experience and success on his CV, earning caps at U19 and U21 level for Croatia, winning promotion in his home country and a league title in Portugal last season.
He started out with Lokomotiva Zagreb and Dinamo Zagreb at youth level before joining NK Zagreb, where he made his senior debut in 2013.
Krovinović played a prominent role in NK Zagreb’s second division title-winning campaign in 2013/14. He then went on to establish himself as one of the best players in the Croatian top flight the following season, helping his side secure a fifth-placed finish in their first season back in the MAXtv Prva Liga.
A move away from his native nation followed in August 2015 as he joined up with Portuguese Primeira Liga team Rio Ave.
After an initial campaign settling in to new surroundings, Krovinović began to really catch the eye in his second season and netted five times in 33 games as his side finished seventh in the league.
Filip’s performances for Rio Ave attracted attention from Portugal’s most successful club, Benfica. The midfielder joined the Águias (Eagles) in June 2017, signing a five-year contract.
During his first two seasons at the Estádio da Luz, Krovinović featured for Benfica in the UEFA Europa League and also helped the club to the 2018/19 Primeira Liga title.