Wolverhampton Wanderers have reportedly joined West Ham United in pursuit of Duje Caleta-Car, valued at around £17 million by Marseille.
According to a report by Sky Sports, Wolverhampton Wanderers are interested in signing Duje Caleta-Car before the summer transfer window slams shut. The Black Country outfit have joined West Ham United in the race to sign the Croatian international, who has a £17 million price tag.
Duje Caleta-Car joined Marseille from Red Bull Salzburg in the summer of 2018 and has since made steady progress in his career. To date, the 24-year-old has amassed 130 appearances for the Ligue 1 outfit while chipping in with four goals and six assists along the way.
However, Marseille are currently open to cashing in on the Croatian international, as they look to balance their books, and have slapped a £17 million price tag on him. Caleta-Car does not have any shortage of suitors either, with interest particularly stemming from the Premier League, where Wolves and West Ham United are keen on signing him.
The interest from West Ham makes a lot of sense, considering Craig Dawson and Angelo Ogbonna are both on the wrong side of 30 while Issa Diop does not seem to feature in David Moyes’s plans. As a result, it is imperative that the Hammers bolster their defence with not one but possibly two centre-backs.
So, while Kurt Zouma is inching closer to joining West Ham, they can do with another central defender as well, making Caleta-Car a viable long-term option. Wolves, on the other hand, are the latest entrants in the race to sign the 24-year-old.
The eagerness from Wolves is interesting, considering they have quite a few reliable options in the defensive unit in the form of Conor Coady, Willy Boly, Romain Saiss and Max Kilman. Nevertheless, Caleta-Car would be a solid addition to the Black Country outfit, and will be a fine long-term option.
What now remains to be seen is if either of Wolves and West Ham are open to shelling out £17 million to secure the services of the Croatian international. For now, Caleta-Car’s future at Marseille is up in the air, with a summer move likely.