GNK Dinamo Zagreb is in the final stages of completing three transfer deals before the Croatian deadline on September 7. The club has confirmed the return of Luka Ivanušec and the loan arrival of goalkeeper Dominik Kotarski, with Spanish winger Iker Almena also expected, according to reports from Index.hr Sport.
Dinamo currently sits third in the HNL with 10 points from four games, on a recent run of three wins and a draw. Their next home fixture against HNK Gorica on September 5th presents a chance to close the two-point gap to leaders NK Osijek. You can track all upcoming matches on our fixtures page.
Who is returning to Maksimir?
Luka Ivanušec is returning to Dinamo after three years at Feyenoord. The 27-year-old midfielder has arrived in Zagreb and will undergo a medical before signing a three-year contract with an option for an additional season. Dutch media, such as Voetbal International, noted that he "tijdens verblijf in Feyenoord nauwelijks heeft bijgedragen" (hardly contributed during his stay at Feyenoord), allowing Dinamo a favourable return for the free agent.
Joining him on loan from Danish club Copenhagen is international goalkeeper Dominik Kotarski. The 26-year-old will bolster a defence that has conceded just three goals in four league matches, as visible on our stats page. The third deal is the expected loan of Spanish winger Iker Almena (22) from Saudi club Al-Qadsiaha, who spent last season on loan at Hajduk, scoring four goals in 23 appearances.
What is the situation with departures?
Dinamo is also monitoring potential departures, with young attacker Fran Topić one player who could leave. Reports state club officials told him he would depart in this window, despite him recently playing a half in a friendly. Osijek's sporting director Kenneth Zandvliet confirmed his club is also working on outgoings, saying: "one of the players who could leave is Arnel Jakupović, for whom Osijek is negotiating with Greuther Fürth, while Celje has reportedly re-entered the picture."
The biggest potential financial windfall for Dinamo could come from former player Petar Sučić. Inter paid Dinamo approximately 15 million euros for him, and he is now attracting interest from top European clubs, according to insider Ekrem Konur. If Newcastle United pays a release clause of 65 million euros, Inter would make a 50 million profit, and Dinamo would receive 5 million euros. Should the fee reach 70 million, Dinamo's share rises to 5.5 million.
How much could Dinamo earn from Sučić?
Dinamo negotiated additional bonuses with Inter worth up to 2.5 million euros, tied to Sučić's appearances, Inter's Serie A qualification, and their Champions League result. If all bonuses are activated and Sučić is sold for 65 to 70 million euros, Dinamo's total earnings from the player could exceed 21 million euros. This includes a player development compensation of 830,000 euros, bringing the total from the sale alone to 6.3 million.
These potential revenues could significantly impact the club's budget for future recruitment. Currently, with 11 goals scored and a +8 goal difference, Dinamo has made a solid start to the season. However, maintaining pressure on leading Osijek requires consistent quality, which the new arrivals are expected to provide. The current squad can be viewed on our squad page.
What is happening elsewhere in the HNL?
Transfer activity is intense among rivals as well. Hajduk confirmed the signing of Rokas Pukštas from Middlesbrough for around 5 million euros, and president Ivan Bilić announced several more arrivals before their deadline on Sunday. Dejan Lovren is close to joining Rudeš, which would make him the first former Dinamo player to return to the HNL this summer, following Kristijan Lovrić and Junior Fernandes.
Italian side Sassuola is, according to sporting director Francesco Palmieri, finalising a transfer for Croatian international Duje Ćaleta-Car from Lyon. Marcelo Brozović is also a free agent after leaving Al-Nassr. Dinamo now focuses on integrating the new signings ahead of a key run of fixtures, including the home match against Gorica, where they will aim to maintain their unbeaten run and close the gap at the top of the standings.
