---
title: "West Ham United: Irons only made loan offer for Duje Caleta-Car"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/west-ham-loan-offer-caleta-car-marseille/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Will Seager"
section: "Premier League"
published: "2022-02-02T07:35:32Z"
modified: "2022-02-02T07:35:32Z"
---

# West Ham United: Irons only made loan offer for Duje Caleta-Car

**According to [RMC Sport](https://rmcsport.bfmtv.com/football/transferts/mercato-en-direct-toutes-les-infos-et-rumeurs-de-la-derniere-journee_LN-202201310009.html) (via [Sport Witness](https://sportwitness.co.uk/west-ham-made-loan-offer-signing-proposal-not-sufficiently-interesting-club/)), Marseille had ‘not received an offer deemed sufficiently interesting’ for Duje Caleta-Car, as West Ham only made a loan bid in January.**

### The Lowdown: Centre-back fiasco

David Moyes’ options at centre-back began to deplete with the season-ending injury sustained by Angelo Ogbonna, who suffered a [cruciate ligament rupture](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/angelo-ogbonna/verletzungen/spieler/48002) at the beginning of November.

When [Kurt Zouma](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/kurt-zouma/verletzungen/spieler/157509) suffered a hamstring injury in early December, from which he has only just recovered, the Hammers were left with just two senior centre-backs available for selection in Craig Dawson and Issa Diop.

West Ham were intent on finding a suitable centre-back to bolster their options in that area and deemed [Caleta-Car](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-10450065/West-Ham-fail-bid-sign-Marseille-defender-Duje-Caleta-Car-loan-option-buy.html) a good option for Moyes’ side. However, a deal never materialised, and the Irons remain short on defensive options despite Zouma’s return.

[West Ham latest news!](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-latest-news-copy/)

### The Latest: Loan offer not enough

According to a report by [RMC Sport](https://rmcsport.bfmtv.com/football/transferts/mercato-en-direct-toutes-les-infos-et-rumeurs-de-la-derniere-journee_LN-202201310009.html) (via [Sport Witness](https://sportwitness.co.uk/west-ham-made-loan-offer-signing-proposal-not-sufficiently-interesting-club/)), Marseille maintained that they had ‘not received an offer deemed sufficiently interesting’ for the Croatia international.

It’s claimed that ‘only a loan offer’ arrived from West Ham, which led to a [stalemate](https://twitter.com/JacobSteinberg/status/1487815938699321349) between the two clubs. The Irons were looking for a loan deal with an option to buy, whereas Marseille were holding out for a permanent sale.

### The Verdict: Missed opportunity

Having previously been very close to joining [Liverpool](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11669/12220127/duje-caleta-car-marseille-defender-reveals-he-almost-joined-liverpool-in-january-transfer-window), many Hammers fans would have known of the Croatian’s quality.

With a wealth of experience in the French top flight totalling [87 appearances](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/duje-caleta-car/leistungsdaten/spieler/238266), it is a mystery as to why the east London club would not sanction a [£15m](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-10450065/West-Ham-fail-bid-sign-Marseille-defender-Duje-Caleta-Car-loan-option-buy.html) move for the player, especially when it was position clearly in need of addressing.

As a result, Irons fans can only pray that their centre-back situation doesn’t get any worse before the end of the season.

***In other news: [Irons had agree a fee for one player on deadline day before deal collapsed](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/west-ham-transfer-rumours/duvan-zapata-deal-collapsed-fee-agreed/)***