Rijeka Brings in Vekić and Hunts for a Winger
Offers for Toni Fruk and Tiago Dantas arrive from Russia and MLS, while young Adu-Adjei has a concrete Serie A offer that Mišković rejected.
Offers for Toni Fruk and Tiago Dantas arrive from Russia and MLS, while young Adu-Adjei has a concrete Serie A offer that Mišković rejected.
Although the new season is just around the corner and the first match against Rudeš is scheduled for tonight at 9:00 PM, things are still buzzing at Rujevica. Coach Matjaž Kek has been asking for reinforcements, and after Hajduk swooped in to snatch Marin Šotiček at the last minute, Rijeka has shifted its search in two directions: bringing in an experienced goalkeeper and finding a new winger on the foreign market.
According to Sportske novosti, Rijeka had already prepared a jersey for 21-year-old winger Marin Šotiček and was confident they would bring him in from Basel. Negotiations were well advanced, but Hajduk jumped into the fray and changed the course of events. Rijeka was unwilling to enter a financial bidding war that would destabilize the club, especially after Basel changed the terms.
The Swiss club initially asked for €1.5 million for the buyout, but later raised the price to €2.5 million and demanded 20 percent of any future transfer. The reason wasn't Hajduk, but an offer from Poland that Šotiček wasn't interested in. As Sportske novosti reports, sporting director Darko Raić-Sudar immediately turned to the foreign market and is already in talks with a foreign player who is expected to bring a new dimension to the attack.
In parallel with the search for a winger, Rijeka has agreed on the arrival of Slovenian international goalkeeper Igor Vekić. The 28-year-old spent the last three seasons with Danish club Vejle, with whom he has one more year on his contract. According to information from Sportske novosti, Rijeka and Vejle found common ground on the transfer fee after the move was first reported three weeks ago.
Although the club has great faith in 22-year-old Aleksa Todorović, coach Kek insisted on more experienced competition. Kek knows Vekić well, as he gave him his first opportunities in the Slovenian national team, where Vekić has earned five caps as the understudy to the untouchable Jan Oblak.
After these arrivals are finalized, Rijeka will temporarily close its incoming transfer window and shift focus to outbound deals. The biggest name is Toni Fruk (25). As reported by Sportklub, inquiries have come in for the Croatian international from the MLS and Russia, but the offers so far are not at the level Rijeka expects. The club from Rujevica is most eagerly awaiting a move from former coach Sergej Jakirović and financially powerful Hull City.
The Russians are also seriously interested in Tiago Dantas (25). As Sportklub learns, Rijeka is ready to negotiate the transfer of the Portuguese midfielder if the offer exceeds the €4 million mark.
There is also great interest in 21-year-old striker Daniel Adu-Adjei. According to Sportske novosti, a concrete offer arrived for him from Italy's Serie A, but president Damir Mišković turned it down. Since Rijeka and Bournemouth share ownership rights 50:50, the club at Rujevica believes Adu-Adjei can further increase his value under Kek and is in no rush to sell.
The club is convinced that a few good months in a Rijeka shirt could significantly boost his market price, which is why they rejected an offer that wasn't "tangible" relative to the player's potential.
