Atletico Madrid News
Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan have tabled offers for 16-goal Man United target
Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan have tabled offers for Borussia Monchengladbach forward Marcus Thuram, who is also a transfer target for Manchester United, reports L’Equipe.
Thuram is set to become a free agent this summer with his contract at Gladbach expiring on June 30. The versatile forward has decided not to renew with the Bundesliga outfit and will be on the market, with several top clubs gunning for his signing.
Indeed, as per the report, Manchester United, AC Milan, Atletico Madrid, and Inter Milan are all keen on signing Thuram, while an unnamed German club is also in the race.
And, of the aforementioned teams, Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan and the German club have already tabled contract offers for the 25-year-old, who has scored 16 goals across all competitions this season.
Atletico Madrid’s links to Marcus Thuram are not new. The Rojiblancos have been showing an interest in the French international for a while now and could use a player like him in their ranks amidst Alvaro Morata’s uncertain future.
As such, they have already acted on their interest by sending a contract proposal to Thuram.
The report states that Thuram has not made his decision as of yet and that he has two conditions before he chooses his next club.
Firstly, the team must be challenging for the league title and secondly, they need to be able to compete well in the UEFA Champions League.
Atletico Madrid are all but guaranteed qualification for the Champions League this term, but as far as challenging for the title is concerned, they have fallen off over the past couple of seasons. But it must be remembered that the Colchoneros have been one of the most in-form Spanish teams in the second half of this campaign.
However, with other top clubs like Manchester United, AC Milan, and Inter also in the running, Diego Simeone & co. will need to be swift in their pursuit and convince him to choose them.
Atletico Madrid News
Atletico Madrid midfielder on the derby against Real Madrid: “Very difficult to beat them”
Following a 1-1 draw in their Champions League opener against Lazio, Atletico Madrid will shift all their attention to La Liga, as they brace themselves for the derby against Real Madrid this weekend.
Heading into this game, Atleti midfielder Marcos Llorente spoke about Real Madrid’s quality and Atletico Madrid’s chances of squeezing all three points from this iconic derby.
Llorente on Madrid derby
“The sensations are good. The team is very good, the other day we played a great game despite ending up drawing. I really think that the team did a great job that must be maintained for this match,” Llorente said in an interview with Diario AS.
When asked whether or not Real Madrid being tagged as favourites could aid Atleti, the midfielder said, “Honestly, it neither motivates me nor demotivates me. We simply have to do what we work on during the week, what the coach asks of us.”
Llorente stressed the importance of the game, adding, “It is a great rival we have in front of us, they are having a very good start to the season and that motivates me and everyone to try to play a good game.”
“Real Madrid is a great club, they have great players and it is very difficult to beat them. I think we have competed, we have also achieved several draws, but in the end, either you go out one hundred percent and do things very, very well or it is difficult to beat them,” he added.
A former member of the Real Madrid youth academy, Llorente joined Atletico Madrid in 2019. Since then, he has racked up over 150 competitive appearances for Los Colchoneros.
Llorente, though, said he feels no sense of vindication when he performs well against his former team.
“No. In the end, it’s been many years since I left there and I’m at Atlético. Perhaps in the first years, those types of feelings and sensations can arise, but today they no longer do,” he said.
Llorente on Vinicius, Koke & Bellingham
The Atletico Madrid star went on to talk about other aspects of the game, including the fact that his team had one less player every time they faced Real Madrid last season.
“I have zero worries. These are things that are not in our remit, that escape our hands. We play football, the referees referee and those who have to decide decide,” he said.
Llorente, in fact, said that the return of Koke could be a real boost for Atleti. “It is always good that Koke is with us, both on the field and in the day-to-day life of the game,” he said.
“Beyond the grass. The support he gives, the advice he gives us, his experience. it is always important to have him and it is great news that he is already training with us,” he added.
Talking about the absence of Vinicius Junior and the form of Jude Bellingham, Llorente said, “Well, you have to be careful with everyone. All Real Madrid players are very good and can make a difference at any moment of the game. Bellingham is having a great start and we have to take that into account and be very focused.”
Finally, Marcos Llorente put out a message for all the Atletico Madrid fans, claiming their support ahead of this crucial encounter this weekend.
“It will be a full house as always. We don’t have to tell them anything, they know the importance of this match for Atlético, we know that they never fail, they are always supporting us and we count on them,” he said.
