Marseille have slashed their asking price for Duje Caleta-Car as the Ligue 1 side now bid to sell the defender amid Premier League interest from West Ham United and Crystal Palace.
That’s according to La Provence, who note Les Phoceens are looking to move the Croatian on after hiring Chancel Mbemba. OM have announced the DR Congo international as their latest addition of the summer after the centre-half left FC Porto as a free agent on June 30.
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Mbemba has penned a three-year contract at the Stade Velodrome to join Isaak Toure and Samuel Gigot as Marseille’s new defensive options. Their arrivals also now push Caleta-Car closer to the exit door, with the 25-year-old now in the final 12 months of his OM contract.
Marseille are loath to lose Caleta-Car for free if his terms expire next June, so hope to sell the 23-cap international this summer. He cost the Ligue 1 club €19m (£16m) when moving from Austrian Bundesliga side RB Salzburg to the port city in southern France back in 2018.
Les Phoceens know they cannot demand back what they paid with the 6 ft 3 star’s contract expiring next summer. So, Marseille are now only asking interested parties to pay up €10m (£8.5m) to sign Caleta-Car, who reportedly has offers to join West Ham and Crystal Palace.
Marseille slash Duje Caleta-Car price tag amid West Ham, Crystal Palace interest
Prior reports by Le10 Sport have cited West Ham and Crystal Palace’s interest in a transfer with Marseille for Caleta-Car. The London rivals have also tabled suggested personal terms to the Sibenik native, who has also long been interested in joining a Premier League team.
But while Caleta-Car would welcome the chance to play in England, offers from West Ham and Crystal Palace did not interest the Marseille defender Alvaro Gonzalez says is ‘quality’. Instead, he has held out on leaving the Stade Velodrome and is ready to see out his terms.
The arrivals of Mbemba, Toure and Gigot could change Caleta-Car’s thinking with his claim to minutes now under increased threat. He started 24 Ligue 1 games last season across 26 top-flight appearances, alongside 12 outings across UEFA tournaments and domestic cups.
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