Sources: Newman makes up mind on West Ham potentially signing Duje Caleta-Car
West Ham are not expected to rival Aston Villa for the signing of Marseille defender Duje Caleta-Car, Football Insider understands.
The Londoners were strongly linked with the 25-year-old in January and a deal was mooted right up until deadline day.
But a West Ham source has told Football Insider that head of recruitment Rob Newman is not currently planning to pursue Caleta-Car this summer.
The former Man City scout knows the French market extensively and is not convinced the Croatia international would be the right fit for the Irons.
This site revealed last Saturday (23 April) that Aston Villa are tracking the defender and manager Steven Gerrard was running the rule over him during his trip to the Stade Velodrome last week.
The Villans are in the market for a dominant centre-half this summer and Caleta-Car is seen as a potential option.
Neither Tyrone Mings nor Ezri Konza have convinced Gerrard since his appointment at Villa Park in November.
Similarly, David Moyes is expected to sign a centre-back in the summer after failing in an attempt to do so in January.
The Hammers squad depth has been severely tested in recent weeks, with Angelo Ogbonna, Kurt Zouma and Issa Diop all sidelined through injury.
Craig Dawson is currently the club’s only fit centre-back.
However, he is now suspended after being sent off for a challenge on Romelu Lukaku at Chelsea on Sunday.
Caleta-Car has made 33 appearances across all competitions for Marseille this season.
His contract expires at the end of June next year.
In other news, a West Ham icon has shared a ‘brutally honest’ Jesse Lingard re-signing claim.