Moyes can form formidable duo as West Ham given green light for "quality" £8.5m target - opinion

West Ham United have been handed a chance to sign long-time target Duje Caleta-Car from Marseille.

That’s according to French publication La Provence, who claim that the club are now willing to allow the Croatian to leave.

This comes following their announcement of Chancel Mbemba, which has pushed Caleta-Car down the pecking order.

They would only demand a fee of around €10m (£8.5m) for the defender, and will reportedly battle it out with Crystal Palace for his signature. 

With West Ham being inundated with fine centre-backs, the addition of this Croatian stalwart would only bolster their options. He could prove a perfect replacement for the ageing Craig Dawson and the perfect partner to Kurt Zouma.

Having been signed for £29.8m from Chelsea last summer, the Frenchman featured 33 times in all competitions and drew praise despite a mid-season controversy.

Caleta-Car too had a fine season as Marseille finished second and reached the semi-finals of the European Conference League. He is clearly a specialist in cup runs, as he was also a part of the Croatia side that reached the 2018 World Cup final.

At just 24 years old, he brings a wealth of experience that could be vital in David Moyes’ mission to further propel his side up the league table.

Last season the defender featured 38 times in all competitions, earning an average SofaScore rating of 6.96. He was consistent and ever-present for the French club and was paramount in their impressive season.

It is therefore unsurprising to see him labelled “quality” by his teammate Alvaro.

Not only a fine defender, but the Croatian also possesses the ability to progress the play out from defence. Alongside another progressive defender in Zouma, the two could potentially form a