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What awaits the Croatian defender in Italy? He will fight for a place in a highly distinctive team
🇭🇷 Croatia /Sports

What awaits the Croatian defender in Italy? He will fight for a place in a highly distinctive team

From Večernji List · () Croatian

Translated from Croatian and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Official statement New plan
  • Duje Ćaleta-Car joined Sassuolo from Lyon on a free transfer and signed a contract through summer 2028.
  • He arrives after making 32 appearances for Real Sociedad last season, while Sassuolo has begun its Serie A campaign with one win and one loss.
  • The 193-centimeter defender joins a team whose starting lineup averages 189 centimeters, and he could become the third Croatian to play for Sassuolo.

Duje Ćaleta-Car is moving to Italy after Lyon confirmed the Croatian defender’s departure and Sassuolo announced his arrival. The 29-year-old signed a two-season contract with the Serie A club, running until summer 2028, in a free transfer.

The move follows a strong season on loan at Real Sociedad. Ćaleta-Car appeared 32 times and played more than 2,600 minutes as a regular centre-back. Sociedad also won the Copa del Rey, finishing ahead of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid.

His return to Lyon did not promise the playing time he wanted. Coach Paulo Fonseca did not view him as a first-choice defender, prompting the Croatia international to seek a new club. At Sassuolo, coached by former Italy international Alberto Aquilani, he will compete with 26-year-old Dutch defender Jay Idzes and 23-year-old Belgian Fedde Leysen, who currently occupy the preferred starting positions.

Sassuolo opened the new Serie A season with a 2-1 defeat by Atalanta and a 2-1 win over Torino. The club also beat second-tier Cesena 3-0 in the cup and finished 11th in Italy’s top flight last season.

The club has one unusual characteristic: it has the tallest team in the league this season, with an average starting height of 189 centimeters. At 193 centimeters, Ćaleta-Car fits that profile closely. Sassuolo will be his fourth major European league, following Ligue 1, La Liga and the Premier League. He has also played in European competitions and made 38 appearances for Croatia. If he makes his debut, he will become the third Croatian to play for Sassuolo, after Šime Vrsaljko and Martin Erlić.

About this summary

Originally published by Večernji List in Croatian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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