Anthony Joseph gives the low down on the goalkeeper that slipped away from Celtic in the summer

Anthony Joseph has given a detailed insight into Celtic’s summer interest in Dominik Livakovic.

This time last year the Croatian keeper was in the headlines with some outstanding displays at the World Cup Finals in Qatar, playing a major role in penalty shoot-outs to take his nation to the semi-finals of the competition.

Livakovic was the only home based player in the impressive Croatian side that was led by Luka Modric backed up by others drawn from the strongest leagues in Europe.

With his Dinamo Zagreb deal running until May 2024 last summer was the prime time for the player and club to get a transfer.

Celtic were suspected of having an interest in the Croatian keeper but there seemed to be little substance beyond internet speculation and wishful thinking from supporters.

Livakovic stayed on to play in Champions League qualifiers for Dinamo, finally on August 25 he moved to Fenerbahce with Joe Hart remaining as first choice keeper at Celtic with no summer additions.

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Dominik Livakovic was identified as a serious target that Celtic should be going for. I mean enquires were made, interest was there, they were monitoring the situation because they knew that Fenerbahce were quite advanced with him and other clubs had spoken as well.

But, when you look at the figures that Livakovic has gone for, £5.7m is doable for Celtic, his wages, fifty grand a week perhaps Celtic would have to have done some changes, he might to have come down a bit there on his wage demands but Celtic could offer it in other ways like bonuses, Champions League bonuses, progress to the last 16 in the Champions League you get X amount. Celtic’s Champions League bonuses are quite good actually.

So there could have been a way to incentivise the deal to bring him in but did they do enough to try and approach the player or did they maybe feel that he was too far down the line with Fenerbahce? Bit it did stall, he did stall with Fenerbahce, he didn’t sign until the last few days of the window, the Scottish window, I know that the Turkish window ran a bit longer.

But, yes, the Recruitment Team were identifying players but I guess the question could be- were they backed enough on the targets that they identified? That is a valid question and a valid argument to say that perhaps they weren’t.

Since signing in August 2021 at the age of 34 Hart has been Celtic’s undisputed first choice keeper, signed a year later, Ben Siegrist has just two League Cup appearances to his name.

With another contract for Hart unlikely it is a position that will have to be addressed during 2024.

The summer 2023 transfer window is something of a mystery/missed opportunity with seven permanent signings costing the best part of £20m with only Luis Palma making any first team impact with the others also sitting on long term contracts.

CLICK HERE for Livakovic’s Transfermarkt profile.