Croatian Goalkeeper in Standoff with Las Palmas
Dinko Horkaš wants to leave the Spanish second-division side, but club president Miguel Ángel Ramírez is holding firm, demanding a €5 million release fee.
Dinko Horkaš wants to leave the Spanish second-division side, but club president Miguel Ángel Ramírez is holding firm, demanding a €5 million release fee.
Croatian football goalkeeper Dinko Horkaš (27) has found himself in an open conflict with the management of Spanish second-division side Las Palmas. After the club rejected a lucrative offer from the United Arab Emirates, Horkaš made it clear that it is "very difficult for him to continue playing for Las Palmas," but club president Miguel Ángel Ramírez responded with tough conditions and a sarcastic remark.
Ramírez confirmed at a press conference on Thursday that Horkaš will not leave the club unless someone meets the financial demands. "Horkaš has a contract with Las Palmas, and he will remain our player if the offer does not satisfy the club. We are asking for €5 million as a one-time payment and 50 percent of any future transfer, while they are offering €4 million spread over four years," Ramírez stated without revealing which club from the UAE is involved.
The Las Palmas president did not miss the opportunity to joke about the goalkeeper's dissatisfaction. "If he doesn't want to play, maybe he can help us mark the pitch or set up the nets," he added.
Horkaš was one of Las Palmas's key players last season, making 43 appearances while conceding 41 goals. His performances have attracted attention from several clubs, including Scottish side Celtic, and according to Spanish media reports, interest could grow further given that the transfer window in Spain closes in 25 days.
The goalkeeper believes that the offer from the Emirates would have significantly changed his life and is disappointed with the club's unwillingness to budge in negotiations. Las Palmas finished fifth in the second division last season, and in the promotion playoffs, they were beaten by Málaga with an aggregate score of 2-1.
Born in Sisak, he began his football journey in the youth academy of Dinamo Zagreb, from where he went on loan to Zrinjski, Varaždin, and Posušje. Realizing that he would not get a real chance at Maksimir in the shadow of national team goalkeeper Dominik Livaković, he decided four years ago to continue his career at Bulgarian club Lokomotiv Plovdiv.
It was in Bulgaria that his rise began, which led him to Las Palmas in the summer of 2024 without a transfer fee. He signed a contract with the club until June 2028, but after just one season, his future in the Canary Islands has become highly uncertain.
