Livaković lands in Barcelona: 'We'll see' on his role as Barça close in on €4m deal

Dominik Livaković has arrived in Barcelona on the brink of completing a move to the Camp Nou, although it remains to be seen whether the Croatia international will be playing for the club this season or return to boyhood side Dinamo Zagreb on loan.

The goalkeeper is ready to put pen on paper on a deal that will reportedly see Barcelona pay €4 million to Turkish giants Fenerbahçe. Yet his immediate future is far from decided.

A decision hinging on Fair Play room

Barcelona already boast Wojciech Szczęsny and Joan Garcia between the sticks, and there are rumors the club wanted to loan Livaković out for a season while Szczęsny remains backup to Garcia. However, competing whispers suggest he could stay put in Catalunya as Garcia's understudy without heading out on loan first.

Asked directly about the situation having touched down in the city, the keeper kept his cards close to his chest. "I'm very happy to be here," he said, and when pressed on whether he would remain or go out on loan, he simply replied: "We'll see."

The main determining factor, according to reports, is whether Barça will have enough room within the FIFA Fair Play salary limit. If there's space, he'll stay — if not, he'll head out on loan and re-join the club in a year.

A World Cup hero and proven pedigree

Livaković played on loan for Girona FC during the first half of last season before joining boyhood club Dinamo Zagreb for the second half of the campaign.

He remains a genuine star for Croatia, serving as their number one for two FIFA World Cups in which the nation finished second and third. He was especially heroic in the 2022 edition, saving three penalties in a shootout victory against Japan and producing eleven saves during the match — plus one more in the shootout — in an eventual win over Brazil.

If he does sign and remains in all-Blaugrana colors for the coming season, Barcelona would add a proven international pedigree to their goalkeeping department; if a loan follows, Dinamo Zagreb would reunite with their own oncepartment; if a loan follows, Dinamo Zagreb would reunite with their own once more.