West Ham United are showing a real interest in signing Marseille defender Duje Caleta-Car – but the two clubs can’t agree on a deal.
That’s according to Sky Sports, who claim that Caleta-Car is currently just one of a number of centre back options for West Ham.
However, the two clubs have very different ideas on how to structure such a deal.
West Ham want to sort out a six-month loan deal with an option to buy at the end of the season.
However, Marseille are only willing to sanction a permanent deal right now and aren’t entertaining loan bids.
Marseille value Caleta-Car at around €20million (£17million), meaning West Ham will have to dig deep if they want to land the Croatian.
Caleta-Car is now inside the final 18 months of his Marseille contract and his value will be diminishing by the month.
West Ham may be hoping to use that situation as leverage to bring down Caleta-Car’s price tag, but Marseille won’t sell easily.
Caleta-Car, 25, has impressed when playing for Marseille this season but has been in and out of the starting XI under Jorge Sampaoli.
Given that situation, Caleta-Car could hardly be blamed for fancying a move to the Premier League.
The Croatian international came close to a Premier League move last year, but his switch to Liverpool collapsed.
Caleta-Car compares himself to Gerard Pique and has been praised for his ‘impressive pace’ in the Marseille back line.
6ft 4in Caleta-Car is not just strong and impressive in the air, but is also more than adept at passing out from the back too.
That’s the kind of player West Ham need at the back as they look to add another centre back not just for now, but for the future too.
West Ham will likely keep talking to Marseille about a deal, in the coming days, but finding an agreement before Monday won’t be easy.
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