Atletico Madrid News
Atletico Madrid told to pay €10 million to sign Barcelona striker this month – report
With Joao Felix’s loan move to Chelsea all but done, Atletico Madrid are on the lookout for a replacement for the Portuguese forward. And they have seemingly landed on Barcelona star Memphis Depay as one of their preferred targets.
The Netherlands international is no longer an important cog in the scheme of things at Camp Nou. And with his contract expiring in the summer, an exit in January was always on the cards.
There has been interest in the 28-year-old from clubs in the Premier League and Serie A in the past. But Atletico Madrid are understood to be confident about convincing Depay to move to the Civitas Metropolitano.
However, any move will hinge on how talks with Barcelona pan out. As per reports on Tuesday, Los Rojiblancos would prefer a loan deal until the end of the season, but Barça are unlikely to consider offloading him without any financial compensation.
To that end, journalist Jose Alvarez is reporting that the current La Liga leaders are holding out for a fee of €10 million for Depay, as Atletico Madrid look to make their move.
Los Rojiblancos are set to pocket a total of €11 million from Chelsea from the loan deal for Felix. Meeting Barcelona’s demands for Depay would mean reinvesting almost everything they receive from that operation.
Considering that Depay has just six months left on his contract with Barcelona, Atletico Madrid could deem the fees being asked as excessive.
And, they have other options on their radars such as Marcus Thuram of Borussia Monchengladbach, whose contract situation is similar to that of Depay, while Borja Iglesias (Real Betis) and Enes Unal (Getafe) are also on the agenda.
So, it remains to be seen how things pan out between Atletico and Barcelona with regard to the transfer of Depay, with further talks expected to take place this week.
Atletico Madrid News
Atletico Madrid, Chelsea contact PSG midfielder’s agent with player set to leave
Atletico Madrid and Chelsea are among the clubs that have made contact with the agent of PSG midfielder Leandro Paredes, who is set to leave this summer.
This claim comes from journalist Martin Arevalo on ESPN, who states that apart from Atletico and Chelsea, an unnamed third club have also established contact with the Argentine international’s representative.
Paredes has been on PSG’s books since January 2019, when he arrived from Zenit St. Petersburg. For a large part of his time at the French capital outfit, the midfielder had been a regular starter in the side.
However, last summer saw Paredes get shipped out on loan to Juventus. He has played 33 times for the Bianconeri this season with a return of one goal and assist apiece.
The Serie A heavyweights, who were recently hit with a 10-point deduction, have the option to purchase him permanently. But, as per the report, his relationship with manager Massimiliano Allegri is not good and a return to PSG is on the cards.
And considering that he is not in the plans back at Parc des Princes either, a permanent departure away seems set in stone for Paredes.
As such, Atletico Madrid, Chelsea, and an unnamed club have shown interest in acquiring his services by making contact with the 28-year-old World Cup winner’s agent.
With Koke entering the final phase of his career and Geoffrey Kondogbia expected to leave at the end of the season, the Rojiblancos could do with reinforcements in the centre of the park.
Paredes, who has plenty of experience at the highest level and is known for his aggressive mentality, can be a good fit into Diego Simeone’s setup at the Civitas Metropolitano.
But, with Chelsea also in the picture, things could get tricky for the Colchoneros. After all, Atleti are operating on tight finances and are looking for bargain and free transfer signings in the market with the likes of Marcus Thuram, Jordi Alba, and Raphael Guerreiro emerging as targets.
