Poljud is buzzing with activity as the club works on signing a center-back, a midfielder, and a winger, with free agent Dennis Hadžikadunić expected to be the first through the door, Index has learned.
According to Index.hr's sources, Hajduk could sign as many as three new reinforcements in the coming days. At Poljud, they are working on bringing in one defender, one midfielder, and one winger, with the center-back expected to be the first. His transfer could be finalized very soon.
The Dalmatian portal reported that Hajduk is in negotiations with Dennis Hadžikadunić (28), a Bosnian international center-back who is currently a free agent. It is highly likely that Hadžikadunić is the center-back whose arrival is expected first.
Hadžikadunić was born in Malmö, stands 191 centimeters tall, plays as a center-back, came through the Swedish youth national teams, and has been representing Bosnia and Herzegovina since 2020. Over the past eight years, he has been a member of Russia's Rostov, but spent most of that period on loan at Malmö, Mallorca, HSV, and Sampdoria, where he played last season.
His contract with Rostov expired at the end of June 2026, so Hajduk can bring him in without a transfer fee. Hadžikadunić played for Bosnia at the World Cup this summer, and has a total of 33 caps for his country.
Hajduk is working on three arrivals. After the center-back, reinforcements for the midfield and wing positions should follow soon. The plan is to complete all three transfers quickly enough so that the new players can be available to coach Gonzalo García for the Conference League playoff, provided Hajduk finishes the job against Žalgiris at Poljud tonight.
The deadline for registering new players for the playoff is Friday, August 14, 2026, by midnight. However, clubs have the option to register two new players for the qualifying rounds up to 24 hours before the match, as Dinamo's coach Željko Sopić did with Anthony Kalik before the first match against Kauno Žalgiris at Maksimir.
Sources close to the club indicate that the need for a defensive midfielder has become evident because that position has been patched up by Rokas Pukštas and Adrion Pajaziti, which hasn't looked solid enough. Additionally, the right wing is vulnerable due to Roko Brajković's injury, and Bambi's decisions haven't met expectations. Therefore, it is expected that sporting director Robert Graf will fill those two positions along with the center-back spot to make the team as ready as possible for the playoff. If Hajduk gets past Žalgiris, only Hammarby or Raków will stand in their way for a European autumn.
Although the deadline for registering players for the playoff is Friday by the end of the day, clubs have the option to register two more players up to 24 hours before the first match. This means Hadžikadunić should arrive very soon, and the other two no later than Wednesday. If the plan comes to fruition, coach Gonzalo García will have more options and a complete squad in the attempt to secure Hajduk's first European autumn since 2010.
In parallel with the arrivals, Hajduk is also working on potential outgoing transfers. One player for whom there is concrete interest is Niko Sigur, with Scottish club Celtic making serious inquiries recently. The Scottish club is expected to step up negotiations over his potential move, so Hajduk could end up handling several arrivals and departures simultaneously at the end of the transfer window.
