It had become apparent in recent weeks that Celtic’s links to goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic would not amount to anything, but he has now officially made his move from Dinamo Zagreb to Fenerbahce.
It was reported back in July that the Scottish champions were closely monitoring his situation as the Croatians fielded a number of suitors keen on his signature.
Rapidly it transpired that Fenerbahce’s interest was the most advanced but Dinamo stalled on doing a deal until after their bid to reach the UEFA Champions League group stages was over.
AEK Athens knocked them out last week and the transfer moved as expected, with Fenerbahce officially announcing his arrival this evening via social media.
Frustratingly, Anthony Joseph of Sky Sports has reported he left for a fee of £5.7m, with another £815,000 in add-ons. That’s well within Celtic’s budget and will be a sore point for any fans who want to see the club make a statement of intent and replace Joe Hart.
However, Fenerbahce could be offering wages well beyond what Celtic are capable of, meaning the financial hurdles may well have been too grand despite the transfer fee. It is believed that the Bhoys never made an official bid.
Livakovic arrived in Turkey on Thursday was unveiled before the fans as his new side beat FC Twente 5-1 in a UEFA Europa Conference League playoff. However, the official confirmation didn’t come until today.
It is unclear whether or not Celtic will be able to bring in a goalkeeper before the transfer deadline, although it has been reported to be a priority position heading into the final week. No real links have emerged to any other target.
In other news, Incoming Celtic signing Luis Palma says goodbye to current teammates; Bhoys will change his life with wages.
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