An update has emerged regarding West Ham United's pursuit of Duje Caleta-Car on deadline day in the summer transfer window...

What's the talk?

Journalist Miguel Delaney had claimed that the centre-back had the option to sign for either Southampton or the Hammers, and the 25-year-old is now closing in on a move to the south coast.

The Athletic's Jacob Tanswell has reported that the Saints have agreed a deal worth up to £15m for the Croatia international, with the club now "finalising" a swoop to bring him to St Mary's.

TalkSPORT named David Moyes' side as one of the interested clubs earlier in the day but did not reveal whether their pursuit of the defender hinged on Craig Dawson's future.

Angelo Ogbonna upgrade

By missing out on a deal to sign Caleta-Car, West Ham will not be signing a player who could have been an upgrade on Angelo Ogbonna.

The Hammers centre-back was absent for the majority of the 2021/22 campaign with a knee injury and struggled for form when he was fit. He started 11 matches in total and averaged an underwhelming SofaScore rating of 6.71 in the Premier League, ranking 15th in the squad.

Prior to his ligament issue, the former Juventus man averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.81 as he started 28 top-flight games during 2020/21, also placing him 15th in the Irons' roster for that season.

These statistics suggest that he is not one of the club's top performers and that there is room to improve on him in the market, which is what they could have done with the signing of Caleta-Car.

The gem, who has been dubbed a "beast" by Marseille's official Twitter channel, was once described as an "absolute monster" by journalist Josh Bunting, and he showcased his defensive ability in Ligue 1 last season.

He averaged a superb SofaScore rating of 6.96 across 26 outings in 2021/22 after averaging a score of 6.92 the campaign prior as he proved that he can perform to a high level week in, week out.

Caleta-Car is also an asset in possession of the ball. He ranks in the 93rd and 94th percentiles for progressive carries and pass completion rate among players in his position in Europe's top five leagues over the past 365 days, whilst also being in the 76th percentile for progressive passes.

This shows that he is comfortable with the ball at his feet and can progress play whilst rarely relinquishing possession.

By contrast, Ogbonna ranks in the 40th percentile for pass completion, the third percentile for progressive carries and in the bottom percentile for progressive passes.

Therefore, Caleta-Car could have been an upgrade on the Italian for the Hammers due to the average standard of his performances at centre-back and how much he offers in possession of the ball.