Dinamo close to permanently bringing back Dominik Livaković: agreement with Fenerbahçe worth five million euros
Dominik Livaković is closer to a permanent return to Dinamo than at any point since the expiration of his loan, but as of July 22, 2026, the deal had not yet been officially confirmed. Turkish newspaper Sabah reported that the Zagreb club and Fenerbahçe had reached an agreement in principle on the transfer of the Croatian international goalkeeper, with the total value of the arrangement expected to amount to five million euros, including a fixed transfer fee and agreed bonuses. According to the same source, the clubs still need to finalize the remaining administrative and contractual details before announcing the transfer. This means that the information can currently be treated as an advanced stage of negotiations rather than a formally completed deal. At the time this article was published, neither Dinamo nor Fenerbahçe had confirmed through official channels that Livaković had permanently changed clubs.
According to reports from Turkey, during an earlier stage of the negotiations Dinamo offered three million euros as a fixed fee and an additional one million through bonuses. Fenerbahçe reportedly did not consider that structure sufficient and therefore demanded a larger overall package. Sabah now claims that the Zagreb club has accepted a higher price and moved closer to the amount of five million euros, which would remove the main obstacle in the negotiations. The distribution between the guaranteed portion of the transfer fee and the bonuses has not yet been made public, nor have the payment deadlines, the conditions for activating the add-ons or possible clauses concerning a future sale. These elements will determine the actual financial burden of the deal and Fenerbahçe's final earnings.
Official confirmation is still awaited
Caution is important because different reports regarding the amount and status of the negotiations have already emerged during the summer transfer window. Some media reports had previously stated that Fenerbahçe had accepted a package worth four million euros, while later information suggested that the Turkish club was demanding two million more than Dinamo's initial fixed offer. Sabah's latest report suggests a compromise at the level of five million euros, but without an official announcement it is impossible to confirm whether all documents have been signed. On Dinamo's official first-team page for the 2026/27 season, Livaković was not listed among the goalkeepers on July 22, further indicating that the administrative part of the transfer had not yet been completed or publicly recorded. At the time, Dinamo listed Danijel Zagorac, Ivan Nevistić and Ivan Filipović among its goalkeepers.
The timeframe is also important because Dinamo has already begun its new European season. On July 21, the club drew 1:1 away against Thun in the Champions League qualifiers, while the return leg at Maksimir Stadium is scheduled for July 28. The permanent arrival of an experienced goalkeeper would therefore not merely be a long-term squad decision, but also a move connected with competitive pressure at the very beginning of the season. Nevertheless, his potential eligibility to appear in a particular stage of European competition depends on registration deadlines and the completion of all formalities, so it cannot be stated in advance when Livaković might return between the posts. Until the contract is signed and the player is registered, the coaching staff must plan with the goalkeepers who are officially part of the squad.
Return after loans at Girona and Dinamo
Livaković's path toward a possible permanent return to Maksimir began after he lost continuity at Fenerbahçe. In September 2025, Girona officially announced that it had signed him on loan from the Istanbul club until the end of the season. The Croatian goalkeeper did not make an official appearance for the Spanish club, after which Girona and Fenerbahçe agreed to terminate the loan early. The Spanish club officially confirmed his departure without providing a detailed public explanation of the termination terms. This opened the way for a return to Zagreb, where Livaković was seeking competitive continuity and familiar surroundings.
On January 30, 2026, Dinamo officially confirmed that Livaković was joining on loan from Fenerbahçe until the end of the season. The club noted at the time that the goalkeeper was returning after an absence of almost two and a half years and that he had played 293 official matches during his first spell at Maksimir. According to Dinamo's data, he kept 138 clean sheets in those 293 appearances, won 12 trophies and played 74 European matches. The return was not merely symbolic: Livaković once again assumed an important role in the team and helped the club during the closing stages of the season. Turkish newspaper Takvim states that he made 17 appearances in all competitions during the loan spell.
His status at the club was further strengthened when he joined the group of players with at least 300 official appearances for Dinamo. An official club statement recorded that by May 2, 2026, against Gorica, he had already reached his 307th appearance, helping the team secure a 2:1 victory with two important saves in the closing stages. That figure shows that after returning he did not rely solely on the reputation he had established during his previous spell, but once again had a direct competitive impact. Dinamo won the league and cup in the 2025/26 season, and the club mathematically secured the championship four rounds before the end with a 15-point lead. Livaković's continued presence is therefore viewed in Zagreb as retaining one of the key figures in a team entering the new season as domestic double winners.
Financial structure and comparison with his 2023 departure
Fenerbahçe signed Livaković from Dinamo in August 2023. At the time, the Turkish club announced that the guaranteed transfer fee amounted to 6.65 million euros, excluding the player development compensation, with a possible additional 950,000 euros in bonuses. The goalkeeper signed a five-year contract, meaning that under the original arrangement he was tied to Fenerbahçe until the summer of 2028. If the current transfer is completed for a total of five million euros, the Istanbul club will receive less than the guaranteed amount it paid three years earlier. However, the final financial comparison will depend on how many of the earlier bonuses were actually activated, how much of the new package is fixed and how the previous contract seasons were accounted for in the club's books.
For Dinamo, five million euros would represent one of the largest investments in an incoming transfer in the club's history. Marko Rog arrived from Split for a fee of five million euros, which was long cited as the record guaranteed amount. In the case of Dion Drena Beljo's transfer from Augsburg in the summer of 2025, reports publicly mentioned four million euros as a fixed fee and a package that could reach 7.5 million euros if all add-ons were achieved. HRT reported at the time that the bonuses were primarily linked to European appearances and international status, while Augsburg would also receive a percentage of a possible future sale. In terms of its total reported value, the Livaković deal would therefore rank among Dinamo's most expensive incoming transfers, although different bonus structures make a straightforward comparison difficult.
Investing in a 31-year-old goalkeeper also follows a different logic from signing a younger player for development and potential resale. In this case, Dinamo would primarily be paying for experience, immediate sporting value, familiarity with the club and reduced risk in one of the most sensitive positions. The potential future profit from a transfer would probably be smaller than with a younger footballer, so the justification for the deal depends primarily on results on the pitch. Qualification for European competitions, winning domestic trophies and defensive stability can have a financial value that exceeds the traditional resale of a player. For that reason, five million euros would simultaneously represent a high transfer fee and a strategic investment at a time when Dinamo wants to retain its dominant domestic role and secure continuity in Europe.
Why Fenerbahçe is considering a sale
Turkish reports state that Fenerbahçe wants to free up a place in its foreign-player quota and that Livaković could be among the first departures during the summer. Such a decision would fit the sporting situation that arose after the Croatian goalkeeper no longer held the undisputed status of first choice in Istanbul. Two seasons in Turkey were followed by a loan at Girona and then a return to Dinamo, demonstrating that the plans of the player and his parent club had diverged. A sale would allow Fenerbahçe to reduce the number of players under contract, free up part of its budget and close the case of a goalkeeper who had already spent the spring part of the previous season away from the club. For Dinamo, on the other hand, it would make it possible to turn the loan into a stable, multi-year relationship.
According to the available information, Livaković also wants to remain in Zagreb. In an interview for Dinamo's official channels after returning in February, he said that he was happy and proud to wear the club's shirt again. The club stated at the time that despite interest from other leagues, his priority had been a return to Dinamo. This alignment between the interests of the player and the Zagreb club facilitates negotiations over personal terms, but it does not automatically resolve the transfer fee or the remaining obligations toward Fenerbahçe. The final deal therefore depends on three levels of agreement: between the clubs, between Dinamo and the player, and on the timely completion of the registration documentation.
Sporting importance extends beyond the goalkeeping position
For Dinamo, Livaković represents more than an experienced goalkeeper. He is a player familiar with the pressure of the domestic title race, the demands of European qualifiers and the specific environment of the Maksimir club. His more than 300 appearances give him the status of one of the most experienced active players associated with Dinamo, while his long international career adds further authority in the dressing room. FIFA particularly highlighted his penalty saves at the 2022 World Cup, when he stopped three attempts in the shootout against Japan and another against Brazil. Matches of that kind built his international reputation and confirm his experience in high-pressure encounters.
For a team that often has to take the initiative in the domestic league but faces a different balance of power in Europe, a reliable goalkeeper can be decisive in a small number of key situations. Livaković already took part in a series of European campaigns during his first spell, so the coaching staff would not need to go through a lengthy adjustment period. At the same time, his arrival would increase competition among the existing goalkeepers and raise questions about their playing time, hierarchy and possible outgoing transfers. Clubs usually address such decisions only after the final signing and discussions with all players. Until the deal becomes official, it is not justified to declare in advance who might see their status changed or leave the team.
A deal that would complete a three-year circle
The potential transfer would have a clear symbolic dimension. Dinamo sold Livaković to Fenerbahçe in 2023 after seven seasons, 293 appearances and numerous domestic and European successes. After a period in Turkey, a loan without an appearance at Girona and a successful spring return, the goalkeeper could now permanently return to the club where he achieved the greatest part of his career. For Fenerbahçe, it would represent an exit from a contract that is no longer central to its sporting project, while for Dinamo it would confirm its willingness to invest a significant portion of the transfer budget in proven quality. For the player himself, it would mean ending a period of loans and uncertainty and returning to continuity.
The latest reports from Turkey therefore represent an important development, but not final confirmation. Until the clubs announce the signing of the contract, the amount, the duration of the cooperation and other official details, the transfer remains agreed in principle according to media reports. If the package is indeed finalized at five million euros including bonuses, Livaković will rank among the most expensive signings in Dinamo's history and become one of the central moves of the summer transfer window. In Zagreb, he would once again take on the role of goalkeeper for a team defending the domestic double and seeking a place in the main phase of European competition. The final word, however, belongs to the official announcements from Dinamo and Fenerbahçe.
Sources:
- Tportal – report citing Turkish newspaper Sabah on the agreement in principle, the price of five million euros and Dinamo's earlier offer (link)
- Takvim – Turkish report on the progress of the negotiations, the expected completion of the transfer and Livaković's appearances during the loan spell (link)
- GNK Dinamo Zagreb – official confirmation of Livaković's loan and data on his first spell, appearances, trophies and clean sheets (link)
- GNK Dinamo Zagreb – information on Livaković's 307th official appearance and his performance against Gorica (link)
- GNK Dinamo Zagreb – official data on winning the 2025/26 championship and the domestic double (link)
- GNK Dinamo Zagreb – current first-team and goalkeeper list for the 2026/27 season (link)
- Girona FC – official confirmation of the early termination of Livaković's loan at the Spanish club (link)
- HRT Sport – information on the financial structure of Dion Drena Beljo's transfer and comparison with Marko Rog's transfer (link)
- Oksijen – report citing Fenerbahçe's official announcement regarding the fee of 6.65 million euros, a possible 950,000 euros in bonuses and the five-year contract from 2023 (link)
- GNK Dinamo Zagreb – schedule and result of the qualifying matches against Thun in July 2026 (link)
- FIFA – context regarding Livaković's penalty saves at the 2022 World Cup against Japan and Brazil (link)