Livakovic arrives in Barcelona for medical as club weighs loan against immediate squad role

Dominik Livakovic arrived in Barcelona on Tuesday afternoon to complete the final stages of his transfer to the club, with a medical at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper scheduled for Wednesday. Once cleared, the remaining formalities of his signing can be concluded.

Barcelona’s long-term goalkeeping strategy

The move reflects deliberate planning by sporting director Deco and Barcelona’s sporting department rather than a reactive deadline signing. According to Barca Universal, the club view Livakovic as a potential long-term solution in goal, with the operation designed to serve both present and future needs ahead of Wojciech Szczesny’s contract situation becoming urgent.

Loan or immediate role — the decision still to come

What remains unsettled is where Livakovic will actually play during the 2026-27 season. Barcelona are weighing two distinct paths: sending him on loan to guarantee regular competitive minutes before bringing him back once Szczesny’s contract expires, or retaining him at the club to work under Hansi Flick from the outset and integrate into the squad’s system immediately.

Both options carry different merits. A loan would keep him match-sharp and in rhythm ahead of a larger role at the Camp Nou, while staying in Barcelona would allow Flick’s coaching staff to build familiarity and shape his game to their specific demands. No final decision has been made.

Some outlets have reported that a loan is the intended outcome, but Barca Universal describes both routes as genuinely open and still under internal discussion. The days immediately following Livakovic’s arrival are expected to be as consequential as the signing itself.

What happens next

The immediate priority is Wednesday’s medical at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper, after which the procedural steps of the transfer can be completed. A decision on his destination for the season is expected to follow his arrival rather than coincide with the moment of signing.