According to RMC Sport (via Sport Witness), 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 at the beginning of November.
When Kurt Zouma 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 a good option for Moyes’ side. However, a deal never materialised, and the Irons remain short on defensive options despite Zouma's return.
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The Latest: Loan offer not enough
According to a report by RMC Sport (via Sport Witness), 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 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, many Hammers fans would have known of the Croatian’s quality.
With a wealth of experience in the French top flight totalling 87 appearances, it is a mystery as to why the east London club would not sanction a £15m 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