Slobodna Dalmacija reports that after the winter transfer window, Hajduk is again the second HNL team in player value.
Only two months ago, due to the disastrous summer and autumn, the club’s value, according to Transfermarkt, dropped to EUR 20.5 million, which placed it only fourth in the league standings, even behind Rijeka (24.2) and Osijek (20.9). As the results fell, so did the value of Hajduk’s players.
However, the market activity during the winter and bringing in players like Lovre Kalinić and Marko Livaja certainly enhanced the club, thus bringing it a new value.
First, the President of the Management Board, Lukša Jakobušić, brought back goalkeeper Kalinić on loan from Aston Villa in December (until the end of June this year). Then, Hajduk’s sports director Mindaugas Nikoličius showed his worth, bringing in the brilliant Marko Livaja, who had terminated his contract with AEK Athens, and Swedish winger Alexander Kačaniklić, who once played in England for Fulham and the French Ligue 1.
Midfielder Marco Fossati completed the quartet of experienced players who strengthened Hajduk this winter, arriving on loan from the Italian second league club Monza.
Including the departures of Gyurcso, Ljubić, Delić, and Radić, who also have a certain price, Hajduk became richer by almost five million euro compared to December last year (25.3).
Osijek is close to EUR 24.8, and Rijeka is not far from EUR 23.8. At the top, of course, is Dinamo with EUR 103.3 million, which is more than Hajduk, Osijek, Rijeka, and even Gorica (19.4) combined.
The HNL table confirms that these numbers are not necessarily a guarantee of success, as Osijek is practically equal to Dinamo, Gorica is third, and Hajduk is fifth.
At EUR 3 million, Livaja is the most expensive of Hajduk’s new players. Only Mijo Caktaš (3.7) has a higher price than him. Kalinić is worth EUR 2.8 million, Kačaniklić EUR 1.2 million, and Fossati EUR 400,000.
Not only did they raise the value on paper, but these players also left an excellent first impression. This is especially true of Kalinić, who came first. His presence has a calming effect on the rest of the team, and last week his heroics saved Hajduk’s victory against Rijeka, defending Andrijašević’s penalty in the final seconds of the match.
In any case, Hajduk succeeded in the transfer window, perhaps even better than the fans expected. The first impressions are positive, the value of the team has grown, and now it must only be translated into results on the pitch.
HNL Clubs in millions (compared with Decemberr 2020)
1. Dinamo 103.3 (+2.7)
2. Hajduk 125.3 (+4.8)
3. Osijek 124.8 (+3.9)
4. Rijeka 123.8 (-0.4)
5. Gorica 119.4 (-0.9)
6. Lokomotiva 113.8 (-0.9)
7. Istra 1961 119.8 (+3.2)
8. Varaždin 118.0 (-0.9)
9. Slaven Belupo 117.8 (+0.6)
10. Šibenik 117.5 (+0.5)
11. Total 243.5 (+12.6)
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