Barcelona lock in Livaković as Joan García understudy plan takes shape

La Liga giants Barcelona have this week reached a quickfire agreement on the personal terms of a contract with Croatian international Dominik Livaković. The Blaugrana, in turn, will now set about finding a similar accord with Turkish heavyweights Fenerbahçe, the club that currently holds the goalkeeper's registration.

The name of goalkeeper Livaković has emerged as a prominent one in the media headlines surrounding Barcelona over the course of the day, after widespread reports surfaced online confirming that the Camp Nou brass are considering tabling an offer for his signature. Amid an early search for a backup for Joan García for the 2027/28 campaign, Deco and co. are understood to have earmarked the 31-year-old as a leading candidate.

The plan would be for Livaković to sign with Barca immediately, before spending the upcoming season out on loan away from the club. And if the latest word stemming from Turkey on Wednesday evening is anything to go by, then the player himself appears to be very much in favour of such a formula.

As per a report from Turkish market insider Yağız Sabuncuoğlu: “Dominik Livakovic has reached an agreement with Barcelona. Negotiations between the clubs have begun.”

A surprise move driven by planning for Szczęsny's exit

This comes amid the understanding that the Blaugrana have set their sights on a deal for Livaković as they give consideration to what would be a surprise move to add to the club's options between the posts. The Camp Nou brass, it is reported, have already begun planning for the 2027/28 campaign. Specifically, ahead of the expected departure of Wojciech Szczęsny, Deco and co. are eyeing options to act as backup for No. 1 Joan García.

A shortlist of shot-stoppers has, in turn, been drawn up behind the scenes in Catalunya's capital. And according to transfer market insider Fabrizio Romano, featuring towards the very top of this list is the aforementioned Dominik Livaković. Livaković, for his part, is an experienced Croatian international, with 79 senior caps to his name.

The 31-year-old is currently owned by Turkish heavyweights Fenerbahçe, but would be expected to find game time difficult to come by this season owing to the presence of former Manchester City standout Ederson in Istanbul. For this reason, the Barcelona board are considering bringing Livaković in on a permanent deal this summer, before farming the goalkeeper out on loan for a year.