BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) _ Serbia's international defender Milan Bisevac has signed for Lens from Red Star Belgrade. He will start playing for the French first division club from January.

Red Star president Dragan Stojkovic did not disclose the transfer fee, but the five-year deal was reportedly worth 2.5 million euros ($3.54 million Cdn).

Stojkovic said that Red Star wanted Bisevac to remain at the club until the Serbian champions found a replacement. The 1991 European Cup champion needed to sell its top players because of financial troubles, he added.

``We wouldn't be selling our players if the situation was good _ but it's getting better,'' Stojkovic said.

Earlier this week, a day after Red Star lost 2-1 against AC Milan in a Champions League qualifier, the Belgrade team sold its talented midfielder Bosko Jankovic to Mallorca in Spain for a reported C3.5 million.