While most footballers may jump at the chance to join a club of Liverpool’s magnitude, one star turned down a January approach from the Reds
Tom Sunderland Sports Writer
06:00, 03 Feb 2026
Lyon defender Duje Caleta-Car (currently on loan at Real Sociedad) turned down the chance to join Liverpool(Image: David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Defender Duje Caleta-Car is one of the few players who can say he spurned Liverpool‘s advances in recent years. There aren’t many who will have turned down the opportunity to join this modern Reds squad, but Caleta-Car did just that as he remained loyal to his employers.
The January transfer deadline has passed, leaving Liverpool to count their options for the remainder of the season. Arne Slot’s side had a quiet winter window compared to the cacophony of new faces that arrived in the summer, though they did agree a £60million deal to sign Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet at the end of this season.
It was back in January 2021 that Liverpool also found themselves in the market for defensive reinforcements. Jurgen Klopp was still in charge at the time and navigating through a raft of backline injuries, with Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez each out of commission at the time.
That led Liverpool to enquire about the availability of Caleta-Car, who was a regular for Marseille at the time. However, the 2018 World Cup runner-up ultimately shunned the chance to join the reigning Premier League champions and remain in the south of France instead.
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“I received an offer from Liverpool,” said the centre-back at the time. “It was an honour 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.”
READ MORE: Liverpool involved in transfer deadline day drama as deal ‘collapses’ after sudden U-turnREAD MORE: Liverpool transfer poised to COLLAPSE leaving Arne Slot’s plan for defence in tatters
Liverpool turned their attentions elsewhere and completed the deadline day signings of Ben Davies from Preston and Ozan Kabak from Schalke (on loan). Academy graduates Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams were also called on to play more senior roles that season.
As fate would have it, Caleta-Car ended up remaining in France for another 18 months or so before moving to England anyway. He joined Southampton on a four-year contract in the summer of 2022 but made just 19 appearances for the Saints as they were relegated in his first season at St. Mary’s.
After finishing his only campaign with the Saints in 20th place, he returned to France in a loan move to Lyon. He then made that move permanent in 2024 and currently finds himself in Spain, leaving Lyon for another loan spell, this time at Real Sociedad.
Caleta-Car (right) had a forgettable stint at Southampton after joining in 2022(Image: David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
There’s no way of telling how Caleta-Car’s career may have panned out had he accepted Liverpool’s advances five years ago. The club has gone on claim two League Cups, an FA Cup and a Premier League crown in Slot’s debut season since failing in their bid to sign the Croat.
Fast forward to the present day, and Liverpool find themselves in a similar predicament as they search for defensive solutions. The Reds have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their last four domestic matches, and Manchester United are the only other members of the Premier League’s top seven who have conceded more goals so far this season.
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Much has been made of Virgil van Dijk’s perceived decline since signing a new two-year deal last summer, while Ibrahima Konate looks destined to leave when his contract expires in June. Youngster Giovanni Leoni had barely played before suffering a knee injury that may have ended his season already, while Gomez has been sidelined for periods this term.