Liverpool defender transfer target devastated move failed after playing YNWA

16 December 2023 , 06:15

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Duje Caleta-Car in his Marseille days (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

Liverpool's January 2021 transfer window is now remembered for the fairly underwhelming signings of Ben Davies and Ozan Kabak on deadline day, but they were also considering other options.

English defender Davies joined from Preston on a long-term contract for a small fee, with Liverpool paying about £500,000 of a £1.6m transfer fee upfront. Kabak, meanwhile, came to Anfield on a 'try before you buy' loan deal from Schalke. The agreement didn't force Liverpool to buy, but if they wanted to the final fee would have been £18m.

The two had been brought in to help with the centre-back injury crisis at Anfield, which got worse when Joel Matip was confirmed to miss the rest of the season due to an ankle injury, joining Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez on the sidelines.

Matip has now been injured again for the rest of the campaign, but fortunately Van Dijk, Gomez, Ibrahima Konate and Jarell Quansah are currently fighting fit, meaning that a Davies or Kabak type move is considered unlikely. Neither player's Anfield career took off, but that could have changed had the Reds signed their other target Duje Caleta-Car.

The Croatia international was hoping to move to Merseyside and was reportedly ready to board a flight to Manchester for the switch. The centre-back's girlfriend Adriana Durdevic also shared a video of them together on her Instagram Story with 'You'll Never Walk Alone' playing in the background.

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Caleta-Car featured 19 times for Southampton last season (Getty Images)

Caleta-Car was said to be "devastated" when his transfer fell through because his club Marseille couldn't find a replacement for him in time. The Ligue 1 side needed an EU-registered player to replace Caleta-Car, but they could only arrange a loan deal.

The Croatian would stay at Marseille for another 18 months before eventually getting his move to the Premier League with Southampton in September 2022. He played 19 times for the Saints last season before joining Lyon on loan for the current campaign.

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Bill Cooper