Croatian Ivo Grbić, 28, has transferred from Atletico Madrid for an undisclosed fee.
The 6ft 5in stopper has played twice for his nation and also has UEFA Champions League experience. He arrived in the UK earlier this week and after completing his medical tests, the contract until 2027 was signed after an agreement was made with Atletico.
“My first impressions of the club are very good, said Grbić, in his first interview as a Blade. “Thanks to everyone for the warm welcome I have received, I am really happy to be here. It is a big thing for every player to move to the Premier League and I am delighted to join Sheffield United.”
“This is the best challenge for me. I’m sure it will be an amazing experience and it will be fun to play in front of our fans and I want to be involved as soon as possible.”
“I’ve played in some good leagues in France and Spain, and played in the Champions League with Lille and played 15 or 16 games for Atletico last season which is a big club. I know I am ready now for this challenge.”
Boss Chris Wilder added: “There has been an enthusiasm to tie down a goalkeeper to a long-term deal. We have done our homework on Ivo and we believe he can be an important member of our squad. We are looking forward to working with him.”
Born in Split, Croatia, Grbić joined the Hajduk Split academy at the age of just nine, he remained there for the remainder of his youth career, representing his country from his early teen years.
Grbić was in and around the first team throughout the 2014/15 campaign, making his debut in April 2015 against NK Rijeka. But a lack of further opportunities saw the stopper join Lokomotiva in the summer of 2018.
In Zagreb, Grbić enjoyed two successful seasons, accumulating 71 appearances and playing a key role in Lokomotiva’s run to finishing second in the Prva NHL and subsequently securing qualification for the UEFA Champions League. In August 2020, he signed a four-year contract with Spanish giants Atletico Madrid, moving away from his homeland for the first time. In the subsequent title-winning campaign of 2020/21, his debut came in the Copa del Rey, where he kept a clean sheet in a win over Cardassar.
The following season, Grbić was loaned to LOSC Lille in a desire for more game time and he made 28 starts in France, including appearances and clean sheets in the Champions League, he also won his first senior caps for Croatia in victories over Malta and Russia.
Last season, the imposing goalkeeper started and finished the term between the sticks in LaLiga for Atletico, making 12 appearances in total. Internationally, Grbić was capped 23 times at various youth levels and was a unused substitute during the 2022 FIFA World Cup, where his country finished third.