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Few players say no to Liverpool nowadays, but international defender Duje Caleta-Car once turned down a move to Anfield on deadline day.
The Reds have just completed a blockbuster transfer window, spending almost $600 million on a host of stars, including Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak. However, not all windows have been fruitful for Liverpool; take the January window of 2021.
Jurgen Klopp’s team was in the middle of a defensive crisis, with Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip sidelined. Liverpool desperately needed reinforcements, eventually bringing in Ben Davies from Preston North End and Ozan Kabak on loan from Schalke.
The Reds also wanted Croatia star Caleta-Car, then of Marseille. While Caleta-Car was flattered to be wanted by the defending Premier League champions, he elected to stay in southern France after holding talks with his club.
Following the deadline, Caleta-Car opened up about his decision to decline a move to Merseyside, insisting he was honored by the team’s interest. He said: "I received an offer from Liverpool.
"It was an honor for me to know that such a club wanted me. We decided with the club that I was going to stay. Marseille is also a great club and I still have a lot of improving to do here."
Caleta-Car stayed at Marseille for another 18 months before finally moving to the Premier League in September 2022, joining Southampton for around $10M.
Caleta-Car made just 19 appearances for the Saints before being loaned out to Lyon, where he secured a spot in the heart of the Ligue 1 team's defence. The French giants then signed him permanently.
Almost five years on from turning down Liverpool, the now 28-year-old may be wondering what could have been. Caleta-Car has been on the move again this summer, joining Real Sociedad on a season-long loan from Lyon with an option to buy.
Liverpool was in the market for a central defender just before the recent summer window closed and had agreed a fee of around $47M for Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi.
However, when the FA Cup winners failed to sign another defender before the deadline, they pulled the plug on the transfer.
Therefore, Liverpool must sign a fee agent or wait until the January window opens to strengthen its defence. Free agent options include Takehiro Tomiyasu, who left Arsenal earlier in the summer following an injury-ravaged season that saw him make just one appearance.
Kurt Zouma is also a free agent following his exit from West Ham. The former Chelsea defender made 20 appearances during a loan spell with Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Orobah last season. He last played a Premier League fixture in May last year.
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