Dinamo have Hajduk in their sights

Blatnjak winner
Last weekend's Super Cup meeting between the two sides went Hajduk's way thanks to Dragan Blatnjak's winning goal, but it is Dinamo whose close-season activity has caused most ripples. As a consequence they are expected to put up an even sterner challenge than last season, when they finished five points adrift of Hajduk at the end of a compelling campaign.

Ljubojevic arrival
Forward Goran Ljubojevic, who has already represented Croatia at Under-16, U18, U19 and U21 level and hit 16 goals last season for NK Osijek, is the most eyecatching signing Dinamo have made. He could form an explosive partnership with Brazilian-born forward Eduardo da Silva, who scored nine times in 18 starts in his first season for Dinamo.

Key players stay
Left-winger Danijel Pranjic and defender Damir Milinovic are among the other arrivals but, even more importantly, Dinamo have hung on to key players such as captain Niko Kranjcar and goalkeeper Ivan Turina.

Hajduk transition
Meanwhile, Hajduk find themselves in a period of brief transition. Ten players have left, although their principal defensive spine of Hrvoje Vejic, Mato Neretljak and goalkeeper Vladimir Balic is still intact. They also have a new coach in Ivan Katalinic, who has returned to the club from HNK Rijeka.

New wingers
On the wings Petar Šuto and Slovenian Suad Filekovic have been signed to replace Darko Miladin and Vlatko Djolonga while Mario Carevic and Uruguayan Pablo Munhoz will compete for the playmaking role. Up front Blatnjak and Almir Turkovic will need to improve on last season's combined haul of eight goals.

Rijeka doubts
Of the other ten teams in the division, Rijeka will be trying to match last season's third-place finish, but doubts hang over them. With Katalinic now at Hajduk, they have handed the coaching reins to inexperienced 33-year-old Elvis Scoria, who may take time to settle in.

Time will tell
Furthermore, while Rijeka's two major signings, forward Tomislav Erceg and defender Danijel Šaric, are both former Croatian internationals, at 32 and 30 years of age respectively, only time will tell how much top-level football they have left in them.

Potential struggle
Osijek may struggle to match last season's fourth-place finish, having seen Ljubojevic, Pranjic, Krešimir Brkic, Vasko Božinovski and Marijan Buljat all leave. The club also have financial problems hanging over for them, although they started the season well on Wednesday with a 2-1 victory against NK Slaven Belupo.

Varteks interest
It will be interesting to see how NK Varteks fare. Having failed to qualify for Europe for the first time in three years after coming fifth in 2003/04, coach Miroslav Blaževic has vowed to put his trust in the club's young players this season.

Mid-table battle
Elsewhere, NK Zadar, NK Kamen Ingrad, NK Zagreb and Slaven are expected to battle it out in mid-table while NK Inter, shorn of Neno Katulic, Klemen Lavric and Marin Lalic, will be happy to escape relegation. For top-flight newcomers NK Medimurje and NK Pula 1856, survival would represent a truly heroic achievement.