With Scotland’s exit in Germany on Sunday, attention has turned back towards Celtic and the upcoming pre-season. The Scottish Champions will be back in for pre-season shortly as Brendan Rodgers looks to prepare his side for the new campaign. The manager will be keen to get the club’s transfer business done quickly to make sure that they are in the best possible shape to compete in Europe and continue Celtic’s domestic dominance.
There is a pressing matter that will be high on Rodgers’ agenda and that is replacing Joe Hart. The Englishman was a massive figure both on and off the pitch but after his decision to retire, the manager knew that he would need a new No.1.
One name that has been linked heavily is Dominik Livakovic. Reports from Turkey had linked the Croatian Internationalist with a £7.5m move to Celtic Park reportedly close to being agreed. The report said that Livakovic wanted to leave Fenerbahce after just one season. However, a reputable Croatian journalist Ižak Ante Sučić, has claimed that there is no agreement in place and that the reports were wide of the mark.
Dominik Livakovic won't join @CelticFC. Not a single word was exchanged between Dominik, his team and @Fenerbahce on that matter. Rumors from Turkey and Scotland were completely false. Everything was confirmed by his public relations agent Stipo Dubravac. https://t.co/KbZDRw9KVI pic.twitter.com/pgOS08C5xm
— Ižak Ante Sučić (@IASucic) June 25, 2024
Celtic look set to part ways with Sead Haksabanovic. The Montenegro Internationalist spent last season on loan at Stoke City after appearing to fall out with Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers. A report has stated that the 25-year-old has agreed a deal to join Swedish side Malmo.
As reported by Fotboll Direkt, Haksabanovic will leave Celtic after making 42 appearances and winning the Treble in his only season.
1 Comment
I would have thought that any potential deal for Livakovic was nothing but bullshit imo?
2 reasons, with only signing for Fenebahce last season, I couldn’t see why he would be considering of moving, or been sold?
And secondly, with what seems to be a massive cash injection introduced into Turkish football, then good chance, his wages could well be out of our range imo?
However, there seems to have been some serious incidents involving his current club in Turkey, involving violence upon his teammates, along with plenty of controversy within Turkish football, and on a far higher scale than anything within Scottish football?
So wouldn’t be surprised if Livakovic was thinking, he wants out of the club imo?
So wouldn’t be surprised if Livakovic now thinks that a move to ourselves, would be a much better option than staying within Turkish football imo?
Like any potential deals over this window, the money factor is going to be a massive factor for ourselves, especially when we should be looking at such players as Livakovic, but will the wage budget within the club allow for it?
Yet, with the figures getting floated about, with 7.5M fee, and say 30K a week on a 5 year deal, as a total guess?
Then investing around 15.5M over 5 years for a quality keeper, seems very steep for ourselves?
But if we break it down to 3.1M per season, for such a quality keeper, isn’t these the type of deals we should be looking to start investing in?
By reducing the wage bill, with the likes of hako now, amongst many others within our squad?
Believe that such deals are possible now, especially if we start using our wage budget, far more sensibly than we have done recently imo?
If Livakovic should want out of Turkish football now, then would possibly struggle to get a better playing opportunity, in a fantastic environment than what he would have on offer with ourselves imo?