The Lion City Sailors are pleased to announce the signing of Croatian goalkeeper Ivan Sušak, as part of a strategic effort to reinforce the squad ahead of a pivotal 2025/26 campaign.
The Sailors are aiming to defend their Singapore Premier League (SPL) title and make deeper inroads on the continental stage in competitions such as the ASEAN Club Championship (ACC) Shopee Cup and the AFC Champions League Two.
Standing at 2.03m, the 27-year-old joins on a two-year contract from Croatian top-tier side Slaven Belupo, where he built a reputation as one of the SuperSport HNL’s top shot-stoppers. He amassed 89 appearances over four seasons, with his most impressive coming in the recent 2024/25 campaign.
That season, Sušak kept 10 clean sheets in 35 matches across all competitions — including a standout performance in a goalless draw against Ivan Rakitić’s HNK Hajduk Split in January 2025 — and even captained Slaven on several occasions. His leadership and performances earned him a place in the HNL Team of the Season, as Slaven finished fifth — their best league finish in 12 years.
Sušak arrives with proven credentials, combining a commanding aerial presence with consistent shot-stopping ability. His addition reflects the Sailors’ intent to build on a landmark season in which they swept all three domestic trophies — the Community Shield, SPL, and Singapore Cup — and made history as the first Singaporean side to reach the final of a major Asian club competition, the ACL Two.
“Ivan brings with him a wealth of experience from a competitive European league, and his calm leadership and technical quality will be a valuable asset, particularly on the continental stage where margins are fine and every detail matters,” said Sailors Head Coach Aleksandar Ranković.
Echoing that sentiment, Sailors Executive Director Bruce Liang said: “We’re always looking at how we can evolve and improve as a club, and after careful consideration, we saw value in bringing in a top foreign goalkeeper to further elevate the standards across the squad.
“Ivan checks all the boxes of a modern goalkeeper — presence, distribution, leadership. But most importantly, his professionalism and mentality will drive healthy competition within our goalkeeping unit and help push everyone to new heights. We’ve got talented local goalkeepers in our ranks, and we believe this move will benefit the department as a whole.”
Having already linked up with his new teammates since pre-season began on 7 July, Sušak is raring to go in this new chapter of his career.
“The ambition and infrastructure of this club were clear from the start and made the decision easy for me,” said Sušak. “I know the target here is to become one of Asia’s top clubs. I’m proud to be part of this project, and I will give everything to help the team take that next step.”
