June 10, 2021 - Another Hajduk fan campaign has launched after the successful signing of Marko Livaja. Perišić, it's time! 

After the incredible fan energy that went into Marko Livaja staying at Hajduk for another three years, fans of the Split club are embarking on a new campaign, reports Gol.hr.

The Hajduk Zagreb Society of Friends has launched an initiative on its Facebook page to bring back Ivan Perišić to Hajduk.

"After Livaja, it's time for a new action: #Perišićuvrimeje (#Perišićitstime). Inter has financial problems, and we have a great desire for Perišić to return and, just like Livaja did this year, to play for the Hajduk senior team finally.

You won the Champions League; you were the champion of Germany with both Borussia Dortmund and Bayern; you recently conquered Italy by winning the Scudetto with Inter. Where are you going?

Get rid of the contract with Inter, arrange an amicable termination and return home. The whole of Dalmatia is waiting for you, and we on the continent, there are a lot of us, thank God," DPH Zagreb said.  

Perišić has a contract with Inter for another year, until June 30, 2022, but as Hajduk fans claim, the Nerazzurri have financial difficulties. After all, coach Antonio Conte recently turned them down just after winning the title because he was not on the same wavelength as the club's leaders regarding sports policy, i.e., transfers. The Chinese owners have announced cost-cutting and debt relief, and Conte wanted an extra step forward and new reinforcements to make Inter as competitive as possible in the Champions League.

Recently, Perišić was in Split with Livaja at the Hajduk juniors match when they celebrated the title. He did not make any statements, but the very arrival at the junior game ignited the imagination of the fans so that they could watch them both at Poljud in the upcoming season.

How things will develop, we will see in the coming weeks. Until a few months ago, it seemed impossible for Livaja to return to Hajduk at this stage of his career and look at what happened! 

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June 9, 2021 - After a campaign that saw the participation of Hajduk fans worldwide, Marko Livaja has agreed to stay at the Split club! 

HNK Hajduk announced the news on its website on Wednesday: 

"To the delight of its entire fan base, HNK Hajduk is proud to announce that Marko Livaja will continue to defend the colors of our Club.

The club and the player have reached an agreement to extend the contract until the summer of 2024, and Marko will, from now on, wear the number 10 jersey.

Livaja returned to Poljud in February this year, and since then, has played 17 official matches for the Whites, scoring seven goals and eight assists. He delighted the entire public with his performances on the pitch, delighting all our fans, and he was the main wheel and leader of the team in the second part of the season.

Marko will be with the team from the first day of preparations, which officially begins on Monday, June 14 at Poljud."

"First of all, I want to thank all the fans. Since I came, and especially in the last month, you have emitted so much positive energy towards my family and me, countless messages of support, approval, and wishes for my stay. Even if I wanted to leave, it wouldn't be possible with all this you've done. From the very beginning, I desired to try to make something here that will be remembered. I think we still have unfinished business, and I am glad that together we are fighting for the highest goals," said Marko after signing the contract.

"This is a significant day for the Club; we are happy to have signed a long-term contract with Marko Livaja. He was the wish not only of us but of the entire fan base. Thanks to Marko, his wife Iris, and his whole family because they believe in Hajduk and what we do. Thanks also to the mediator who assisted in this work, Vincenzo Cavalieri. Thanks also to all the fans who participated in the #LivajaOstani campaign, which played a crucial role in his decision. Now we continue together, ready for new challenges and the fight for trophies," concluded the sports director of Mindaugas Nikolicius.

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March 4, 2021 - Hajduk jumps to 2nd in HNL player value thanks to an impressive winter transfer window that brought in Lovre Kalinić, Marco Fossati, Marko Livaja, and Alexander Kačaniklić.

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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February 17, 2021 - Croatian striker Marko Livaja returns to his hometown club, Hajduk Split!

Marko Livaja returns to Poljud! The experienced 27-year-old striker returned to the Split club after 11 years and signed a contract with Hajduk until the end of the current season after terminating his contract with the Greek first league team AEK.

After many years, Marko will fulfill his great wish and boyhood dream to play an official match for Hajduk's first team. He made six appearances for Hajduk, but all in friendly matches.

In 2010, as a sixteen-year-old, he left Hajduk for Inter Milan, where he played 13 official matches and scored four goals.

In the meantime, he played for Swiss Lugano, Italian clubs Cesena, Atalanta, Empoli, Russian Rubin Kazan, Spanish Las Palmas, and Greek club AEK from Athens, for which he played for the past two seasons and collected 147 official appearances with 42 goals scored.

Livaja played for all the younger selections of the Croatia national team, while he made a total of four appearances for the first team.

"I am happy to be back home after so much time, and I am looking forward to new opportunities and challenges here. I am glad that I will try to achieve goals with my beloved club, and I hope for better results," said Marko after signing for Hajduk.

"Marko, welcome back to Hajduk, and we wish you good luck and success in the white jersey!" Hajduk concluded in its official announcement. 

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