Duje Caleta-Car set to join Lyon from Southampton | OneFootball

Southampton centre-back Duje Caleta-Car will make a summer move to Lyon in a deal valued at around £5 million, per Relevo.

The Croatian international joined Southampton just a year ago but now appears to be on the brink of returning to France.

Southampton’s disappointing performances last season led to their relegation from the Premier League after they finished at the bottom of the table.

As they prepare for life in the second tier, the club must sell players to cope with the financial pressures of the drop.

Mislav Orsic has departed for Trabzonspor, and Romeo Lavia is attracting interest from Liverpool and Chelsea.

Caleta-Car is also on his way out, with Lyon expressing keen interest in acquiring the experienced central defender.

Lyon’s newly appointed Head of Recruitment, Matthieu Louis-Jean, wants to sign an experienced defender.

The Croatian’s profile aligns perfectly with what Lyon head coach Laurent Blanc has requested, and the prospect of playing alongside fellow countryman Dejan Lovren could appeal to Caleta-Car.

The 26-year-old previously enjoyed four fruitful seasons at Marseille, accumulating 130 appearances in Ligue 1.

In addition to Caleta-Car’s potential arrival, Lyon are also gearing up for the departure of Castello Lukeba, who has attracted strong interest from RB Leipzig.

His exit would create a vacancy that Lyon hopes Caleta-Car could fill effectively, providing solidity and experience to their backline.

The news of Caleta-Car’s potential return to France has sparked excitement among Lyon fans.

Having already proven himself during his previous stint in Ligue 1, the centre-back could further strengthen Lyon’s squad ahead of the upcoming season.