Šutalo Has Three Offers, Ćaleta-Car on the Market
Josip Šutalo wants to leave Ajax, while Lyon is looking for a solution for Duje Ćaleta-Car. Kristijan Jakić is also waiting for a new club, while Budimir scores for Osasuna.
Josip Šutalo wants to leave Ajax, while Lyon is looking for a solution for Duje Ćaleta-Car. Kristijan Jakić is also waiting for a new club, while Budimir scores for Osasuna.
The summer transfer window is entering its final stretch, and the fate of three Croatian internationals from Dalić's World Cup squad remains uncertain. The most concrete situation is that of Josip Šutalo, who has three offers and intends to leave Ajax.
"Šutalo is leaving," reports the same source, citing insider information. Ajax paid Dinamo 20.5 million euros for the defender three years ago, but now they would be willing to let him go for 15 million euros plus certain bonuses. Among the interested clubs is Benfica, which aligns with their need for a center-back after selling António Silva to Bournemouth for 25 million euros. The identity of the remaining two clubs has not leaked to the public, but it is assumed that at least one is from the English Premier League.
In the Netherlands, the media do not hide their criticism of Šutalo's time in Amsterdam. They describe his first season as poor, his second as significantly better, but the third has disappointed again, which is interpreted as a clear sign that a parting of ways is the best solution for both parties. Šutalo is currently not training with the team due to an injury he picked up at the World Cup, which caused him to miss Ajax's opening matches and the clash with Shelbourne in the Conference League qualifiers.
Similar uncertainty surrounds Duje Ćaleta-Car. He has returned to Lyon, where he has a contract for another year, but the club does not seriously count on him. They had hoped that Real Sociedad would buy him after his loan, but that did not happen. According to information from Sportske novosti, the French club is now looking for any solution, including the possibility of letting him go without a fee just to have someone take over his salary. The media in Lyon, it is said, do not show much respect for the Croatian defender.
The third Vatreni in a similar position is Kristijan Jakić, who has clearly told Augsburg that he wants to leave. Torino has shown interest, but Italian clubs are traditionally not financially strong, which has so far hindered the realization of the deal. According to announcements from informed sources, all three should find new environments by the end of the transfer window.
While waiting for the resolution of the transfer sagas, Ante Budimir has returned to form. In his first match for Osasuna this season, the Croatian striker won and converted a penalty, although his team lost to Napoli 2-1, as announced by the Croatian Football Federation on social media.
Tonight also features important European matches for Croatian clubs. At 7:00 PM, Hajduk visits Lithuanian side Žalgiris from Vilnius, while at 8:45 PM, Rijeka hosts Finnish side Ilves from Tampere at home. Both matches are part of the Conference League qualifiers.
