West Ham United have failed in an attempt to sign Marseille central defender Duje Caleta-Car, with the Croatian enforcer rejecting the Premier League club, according to The Guardian.
The Hammers have been desperately looking for a new centre-half in recent weeks and months to shore up David Moyes’ backline, but attempts to land a quality addition have fallen short.
West Ham have limited options at the back and with Issa Diop unavailable over the last few weeks, the Irons have been down to their bare bones in defence.
This is something that Moyes has been quick to point out in the press, with the Scottish boss admitting he wants the Hammers to add quality to their squad in the defensive positions.
While Vladimir Coufal has been signed to give West Ham another player at right-back, the search for an international-calibre central defender has been a frustrating one for all involved.
The latest report suggests the Hammers were hopeful in their attempts to land Caleta-Car, with potential for a £20m deal, but the player opted against a switch to the London Stadium.
This has left West Ham facing the prospect of the transfer window closing before new signings can be made, with the club having until 11pm on Monday to get deals over the line.
The Hammers hierarchy promised defensive recruits after selling Grady Diangana to West Brom to raise funds and will need to work quickly to ensure this happens.