West Ham turn to Duje Ćaleta-Car after Kurt Zouma rejection
West Ham have turned their attention back towards Marseille centre-back Duje Ćaleta-Car after failing to sign Chelsea’s Kurt Zouma, according to Get French Football News.
The French news outlet claims that the Hammers have “re-initiated contacts” with the 24-year-old Croatia international.
It is understood that talks have started with Ćaleta-Car, they have not started with Marseille and no bid has been made.
Downgrade from Zouma
We’re not doubting Ćaleta-Car’s ability at all – but we would have rather seen David Moyes sign Zouma from Chelsea to bolster his defensive options.
According to an update by the Guardian this week, the 26-year-old France international has rejected a move to the London Stadium this summer after a failure to agree upon personal terms.
Zouma, who’s been capped eight times by France, has proven himself in the Premier League over the years, playing 165 times in total in the English top-flight for both Chelsea, Everton and Stoke.
After losing Fabian Balbuena at the end of last season, Moyes has been left with three senior centre-back options including Issa Diop, Craig Dawson and Angelo Obgonna. Two of those are 31 or above so some fresh impetus is needed.
Zouma would have brought down the average age of the back-line while also adding a lot of Premier League experience.
Ćaleta-Car is 24, so he’s a couple of years younger than Zouma, but he’s only made 76 appearances in a major European league with Ligue 1 side Marseille.
We’d trust that he’d be a good signing – but he just wouldn’t have been as good and less risky than Zouma.
In other West Ham news, the Hammers want to sign this available flyer who was born in London.
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