Trabzonspor have made ‘significant progress’ in their pursuit of Mislav Orsic and Southampton team-mate Duje Caleta-Car could join his fellow Croatian at the 2022 Turkish Super Lig champions.
That is according to Fanatik; recently-relegated Southampton potentially about to kill two birds with one proverbial stone as the Saints look to trim the fat from a bloated squad which finished rock bottom of the Premier League table last term.
Mislav Orsic, a £6 million January signing from Dinamo Zagreb, averaged £1 million per minute in England’s top flight. He barely kicked a ball in anger during five months on the South Coast, making just one fleeting substitute appearance.
Duje Caleta-Car, meanwhile, made only nine starts in red and white. One of Europe’s most coveted young centre-halves not so long ago – Caleta-Car famously came within touching distance of joining Liverpool while still at Marseille – the 26-year-old proved accident-prone and about as composed as Nicola Murray delivering a policy speech during his time under Ralph Hasenhuttl, Nathan Jones and eventually Ruben Selles.
Two players could leave Southampton for Turkey
Fanatik say that Caleta-Car could now join Orsic at Trabzonspor.
Turkish league champions a year ago, Trabzonspor are making ‘significant progress’ in pursuit of Orsic and now plan to sign Caleta-Car – who joined in an £8 million deal from Marseille – on an initial loan deal.
Trabzonspor are also hot on the heels of another Croatia international; experienced centre-forward Bruno Petkovic potentially reuniting with his former Dinamo Zagreb sparring partner Orsic on the banks of the Black Sea.
“At the request of coach Nenad Bjelica, Orsic and (fellow Croatian Bruno) Petkovic are the players we are interested in,” Trabzonspor president Ertugrul Dogan told BeIN Sports earlier this month.
Dogan adds that Southampton are looking for £3.5 million for Orsic. A fee that could see the winger leave for half the fee the Saints paid as recently as last winter.
“The clubs of both players are (asking for figures) such as 4 million euros,” the president says.
“We will not pay these figures. We are in the process of signing two players (but) their names have not been reported in the press.”
The Saints could cash in on Lyanco too. They recently rejected a £4.2 million loan-to-buy bid from Vasco da Gama for the Brazilian defender.
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