Barcelona consider keeping Dominik Livakovic after agreeing Fenerbahce transfer

Barcelona are reconsidering their plans for Dominik Livakovic and are now leaning towards keeping the Croatia goalkeeper with the first team this season, rather than sending him out on loan as originally intended.

Livakovic arrived in Barcelona on Tuesday ahead of completing his move from Fenerbahce. The two clubs have reached a final agreement, with only the remaining formalities to be completed before the transfer can be officially announced.

According to Spanish newspaper Marca, Barcelona will pay €2m for the goalkeeper, with a further €2m available in add-ons linked to the terms of the deal. Livakovic is expected to sign a four-year contract and undergo his medical examination after arriving in the city.

The initial plan was for the 30-year-old to leave on loan for one season. Dinamo Zagreb had been identified as a possible destination, with the intention that he would return to Barcelona for the 2027-28 campaign after Wojciech Szczesny’s contract expires on 30 June 2027.

Under that proposed arrangement, Livakovic and Joan Garcia would have formed Barcelona’s goalkeeping partnership in that season. However, developments in recent hours have led the club to reassess the plan, and there is now a growing possibility that the Croatia international will remain with Hansi Flick’s squad immediately after completing his transfer.

The current proposal would see Livakovic registered as Barcelona’s third-choice goalkeeper for the season, behind Joan Garcia and Szczesny. That would give Flick an additional option should either of the two senior goalkeepers suffer an injury, rather than leaving the manager with only one alternative.

Barcelona sporting director Deco and Flick are expected to discuss Livakovic’s situation in the coming hours. The issue was already raised during a meeting on Tuesday attended by club president Joan Laporta, where the possibility of a loan was also considered in the context of financial fair play rules.

No final decision has been formally confirmed, and the club’s plans could yet change. Nevertheless, the current expectation at Barcelona is that Livakovic will stay with the first team instead of moving elsewhere temporarily.

That would represent a significant change to the goalkeeper’s immediate prospects. When the agreement was first being completed, the expectation was that his first season under contract would be spent away from Camp Nou on loan. He could now begin his Barcelona career as part of Flick’s senior squad, providing cover behind Garcia and Szczesny while the club assesses its longer-term goalkeeping options.