West Ham United’s move for Marseille defender Duje Caleta-Car is ‘on the right’ track, and the Hammers are optimistic they can get a deal done.
That’s according to L’Equipe, who cover the situation after revealing their interest in the centre-back last night.
We covered a report from the French newspaper yesterday that stated West Ham had gone as far as ‘making a first’ offer for the defender, but it was nowhere near what Marseille are looking for.
Nonetheless, they were said to be ‘highly interested’ in the Croatian and every indication was that they would push for his signature.
They now follow that report up and state that unlike in January, when the Hammers were offered Dimitri Payet via Paul Aldridge, who is an advisor to Marseille president Jacques-Henri Eyraud, they ‘came on their own’ for Caleta-Car.
The problem, for the moment, is that the offer they’ve made is ‘not yet at the expected level’.
Here the newspaper cites the English reports of €22m, saying this is a ‘far cry’ from the €30m ‘expected’ by Marseille who are aware that Wesley Fofana has just joined Leicester City for €35m plus €5m in bonuses.
However, they do state that ‘English sources’ have told them the transfer is still ‘on the right track’ and ‘optimism reigned’ at West Ham that a deal can be done.
Marseille, for their part, are ‘not at all closed’ to discussions about the defender and have already started to look at various options to replace him.
Indeed, Caleta-Car is ‘not far’ from reaching an agreement on wages with the Hammers, and L’Equipe speculate that it’s not impossible a second offer of around €25m, plus a few bonuses, could make Marseille’s leaders ‘crack’.
The deal, then, is in West Ham’s hands and it seems all they need to do is offer the right amount to get it over the line.
