It’s official. Marseille have sold Duje Čaleta-Car to English Premier League club, Southampton, on a 4-year deal, The Athletic reports.
This move parallels Dejan Lovren earlier in his career when he went from Lyon to Southampton before landing at Liverpool. Lovren won a Champions League title with Liverpool in his time there.
Will DCC pan out to the defender he was always supposed to be for Croatia? Well, saddle up! We’re going to find out very soon and there’s no hiding in the Premiership when you have the likes of Haaland, Salah, and Kane (with Perišić) coming straight at you.
There is plenty of competition on the Croatian backline for the next 5-year run with Erlić, Gvardiol, Pongračić, Šutalo all in the mix. If DCC wants to make a long-term splash in checkers, he will have to solidify his spot in a Premiership starting XI first. The ball is in his court. How will DCC cope with his first shot at playing in a top-4 European league?
I feel as though he’s going to have a terrible time fitting in with the limeys and flame out quickly.I hope I’m wrong
Well even if you’re right, it will confirm that he cannot be a starter for us and we move on to immediately integrating Sutalo as our full-time CB partner next to Gvardiol.
Correct yourself, he’s going to “soufampton”
On Sutalo:
https://mobile.twitter.com/SorareCroatia/status/1550040246296920066
It appears it may only be a short injury leave, thankfully. But it’s till not good.
I dunno if I heard correctly from someone…Sutalo is now injured??
That is not good for us.
Hopefully we still have Erlic, and regardless I still like Stanisic as a player. I could care less if Lovren and Vida are what Dalic thinks as options. He is wrong if that is what he thinks.
Mate1. I disagree. We need some experience on the back end. Vida could fill that void. Lovren no. Although it’s exciting and mouthwatering to have all kids out back, it’s just not feasible. A veteran back home with our lacklustre goal keeping is a must in my mind.
Vida can’t provide anything to the National Team no more, I would keep Lovren in the team over him.
Come on now boys. You’re both wrong. 🙂
Vida and Lovren both suck and offer nothing to our backline, other than the myth that being older somehow means that you offer some sort of high level experience despite playing in Turkey or riding the pine in Russia (with the youngsters you apparently are giving guidance to ripping it up in leagues like the Bundesliga).
Boško Šutalo got injured recently… Josip is the better one. Not sure when Josip is expected to return.
DCC was our worst central defender in friendlies against Slovenia and Bulgaria.
He also had a poor match against Austria in our NL loss in Osijek. He was slow in making tackles and to me he looked a few kilos overweight. On his recent performances for the national team as a central defender he has slipped in the pecking order and may struggle to make the WC squad for Qatar. Move to EPL will be a challenge for him, in a fast tempo comp. However, if he can cement a regular starting place as a CB for Southampton, this may be enough to convince Dalic to take him to Qatar ?
It will be interesting to see who gets cut from our defenders.
We have a combination of mediocre mainstays (Lovren, Vida, Barisic, Duje) and some overperforming new players (Sutalo, Erlic, Stanisic, Juranovic). Then of course we have the automatic starters in Sosa and Gvardiol…leaving several players fighting for two spots (CB and RB).
It takes a lot for Dalic to cut longstanding players from the squad. He said so himself, so it will be interesting to see if he cuts any one of Lovren, Vida, Barisic, or Duje.
Vrsaljko made Dalic’s job a bit easier by retiring. Pongracic will likely be cut because he hasn’t wowed anyone and he hasn’t been on the team long. I assume at least two of Barisic, Vida, Lovren and Duje would be cut now.
If Erlic or Sutalo didn’t start and perform so well in Nations League, then they for sure would have been cut in November…but now things get interesting (especially since Sutalo is being pumped by foreign media).
We also never tried Stanisic at CB yet, and he played very well against France so he’s another potential option ahead of Duje/Lovren/Vida (but I doubt Dalic will try Stanisic at CB since he’s pretty slow to try these things).
I think if Vrsaljko didn’t retire, Dalic probably would have probably debated cutting Stanisic because he is still young and hasn’t nailed down a starting spot at Bayern.
But I still find it hard to see Dalic cutting Barisic, Vida, Lovren and Duje.
He probably cuts just one, and then just does the foolish thing and calls up one less young player in midfield or forward.
If Lovren and Vida are fit and playing for their clubs Dalic will take them to Qatar even if they sit on the bench the entire tournament. Barisic will definately be there, DCC on the other hand could miss out unless he performs well at Southampton ?
Barisic will get his spot because he is a fighter, he has been a key part of Rangers’ recent success, and he is a left-footed left wingback, whereas Juranovic is right-footed. Isn’t Vrsaljko back on the NT now? Or did I miss something?
18 million Euro (+ 7 million in bonuses) seems to be the offer from RB Leipzig for Josip Šutalo.
He would remain in Zagreb on loan for the rest of the season, then move to Germany for 2023/24.
Good move for Duje and for the National Team.
He gets a big salary increase and (more importantly) he gets out of the French league and into the EPL, where he will either make it or break it.
If he succeeds, then he will cement his place in the National Team next to Gvardiol.
If he doesn’t, then we can continue to give Šutalo and others more chances to cement their spot in the back four.
Similar career trajectory to another Croatian G.O.A.T, Dejan Lovren. DDC on the way:
French Team > Southampton> Liverpool
Hopefully he kills it, still need more quality depth at the back imo.
https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/20883671.southampton-end-summer-window-signing-defender-caleta-car/
The coach speaks about depth, but hopefully a 4 year contract leads to a starting role.
I think he speaks about the depth because of Bednarek leaving to Villa, I wouldn’t think it means that he is a bench player and they only have Salisu at CB who is good.
Well, it can’t hurt, can it? He was glued to the bench anyhow, so let’s see what he can make of this opportunity.
I agree, he was not.kuch of starter for.the National Team, maybe this can help boost his game a bit.
On another note, I feel like Pasalic has had a quite start to his season so far. He hasn’t really done much in Atalanta so far.
Hopefully he kicks it on to high gear.
Quiet is what I meant lol