Olympiacos have confirmed the arrivals of Loren Fatovic and Konstantin Kharkov, continuing what is becoming a major Croatian rebuild in Piraeus.
The Greek champions had been strongly linked with several Croatian players for months, and the club has now made two of those moves official. Fatovic joins from Jadran Split, while Kharkov arrives after helping Mladost Zagreb win the Croatian League.
Kharkov, 29, is one of the most dangerous left-handed scorers in European water polo. A few days before his move was announced, he won the Croatian title with Mladost, adding another trophy to an already impressive career.
He was also one of the standout scorers in the 2026 Champions League season, finishing with 26 goals, despite Mladost missing out on the Final Four in Malta.
Kharkov’s international career has taken an unusual path. He represented Russia until 2021 and was the top scorer at the 2020 European Championships in Budapest. In 2022, he gained Croatian citizenship and made his debut for Croatia at the World Championships in Budapest.
Since switching national teams, he has become an important part of Croatia’s golden generation. With Croatia, he has won the 2024 World Championship, the 2022 European Championship, silver at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and silver at the 2024 European Championship.
At club level, Kharkov played for Sturm Ruzha until 2018, when he moved to Croatia to join Mladost Zagreb. He later played for Jadran Split and Brescia before returning to Mladost, where he again became one of the key attacking players.
His arrival gives Olympiacos a direct replacement for Gergo Zalanki, who has said goodbye to the Greek club and is expected to return to Pro Recco.
Fatovic’s signing is another major statement. The 29-year-old Croatian international has spent his whole club career in Croatia until now, playing for Jug Dubrovnik and Jadran Split. His move to Olympiacos will be the first foreign club experience of his career.
A Champions League winner with Jug and one of the leading perimeter players in the Croatian national team, Fatovic brings creativity, shooting quality and big-game experience. He has also won two world titles with Croatia, in 2017 and 2024, as well as the 2022 European Championship and Olympic silver in Paris.
There is also an obvious family connection. Olympiacos are coached by Elvis Fatovic, Loren’s father, who took charge of the Piraeus-based club last summer.
Olympiacos are also set to bring back experienced Croatian centre-forward Luka Loncar, who spent last season with Mladost. Loncar previously played for Olympiacos between 2023 and 2025 and is expected to return on a two-year deal.
The 39-year-old adds a very different profile to the squad. While Fatovic and Kharkov strengthen the perimeter, Loncar gives Olympiacos another proven option at centre-forward. A double Olympic silver medallist with Croatia, he has won major club titles with Jug Dubrovnik and Pro Recco, including multiple Champions League crowns.
With Fatovic, Kharkov and Loncar, Olympiacos are putting together a strongly Croatian-flavoured squad for the new season. After losing Zalanki, the Greek champions have moved quickly to reshape their attack with experience, firepower and proven winners.
The message from Piraeus is clear: Olympiacos are building not only to dominate domestically, but to return as a serious contender for the biggest European trophies.
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