Atletico Madrid News
Atletico Madrid midfielder set for automatic renewal after two games
Axel Witsel was one of the smart buys Atletico Madrid made during the summer transfer window. The experienced midfielder came from Borussia Dortmund on a free transfer, initially to boost the club’s depth in the middle of the park.
But as we approach the second half of the campaign, Witsel has turned out to be a vital player for Atletico Madrid, with the star having racked up over 2,000 minutes of football in all competitions – a tally bettered by only three players in the squad, including goalkeeper Jan Oblak (2,434).
According to MARCA, Witsel’s early success at Atletico Madrid could see his contract being automatically extended until 2024. This is because of a special clause in the contract that he signed with Atletico Madrid last summer.
While the ageing Belgian only signed a one-year deal with Atleti, his contract included an option to extend another year based on his performance. The clause stated that the midfielder must feature in 25 matches, in which he has played over 45 minutes of football in each of them.
WItsel’s current tally with Atletico Madrid this season stands at 27 appearances. But the former Dortmund ace has featured in over 45 minutes of action in only 23 of those matches.
This means the 34-year-old is only two games away from having his contract automatically extended. It is a move that is expected to benefit all parties involved.
Witsel, for his part, can continue to play at the highest level for at least another season and help Atleti progress under Diego Simeone. As for the club, they have been hugely impressed by the player’s professionalism and versatility, as the Belgian has featured in the centre-back role multiple times this season.
Witsel’s continuity, therefore, may continue to benefit coach Simeone as he looks ahead to a potential restructuring in the upcoming summer transfer window.
Atletico Madrid News
Atletico Madrid monitoring teenage striker with €40 million release clause – Romano
According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Atletico Madrid are among the clubs monitoring the progress of UD Almeria striker Marciano Sanca.
The 19-year-old Guinea-Bissau forward joined Almeria from Portuguese outfit Leixoes in January last year, linking up with the club’s B team.
Marciano has made three league appearances Almeria’s reserve team and has not scored a goal yet. The teenager has been training with the first-team setup regularly and Romano claims that he is close to making his debut in La Liga.
While he might not have made a splash at the senior level yet, Marciano seems to be already gathering admirers with Atletico Madrid, Villarreal and Brighton & Hove Albion said to be tracking the youngster.
Los Rojiblancos are set to enter the market for a new centre-forward as Joao Felix is expected to be sold permanently while Alvaro Morata’s future is also not entirely certain.
So even though Diego Simeone has Memphis Depay, Angel Correa, and Morata at his disposal, Atletico Madrid will dive into the market for a new striker with there being links to Mateo Retegui of Boca Juniors, currently on loan at Tigre.
Now, Marciano has also emerged as a potential target or Atletico Madrid, although signing him will not be easy in the summer.
Even though the 19-year-old’s contract expires in 2024, he is bound by a release clause worth €40 million and Almeria intend to keep him at the club beyond this season.
So, the La Liga club might hold out for the entire release clause amount in order to stave off potential suitors like Atletico Madrid, who are not in a position to make such an investment on an unproven youngster.
