Atletico Madrid News
Atletico Madrid told to shell out €7 million to sign Barcelona striker; player keen to move
Atletico Madrid have had a busy January transfer window so far. The club have already sanctioned the exits of Joao Felix and Matheus Cunha, while others are expected to follow suit.
Cunha and Felix’s exit, though, have left a void in the attacking department, prompting the club to look for an attacker. Memphis Depay, for one, has emerged as the transfer priority for Atleti, who are already in talks with Barcelona over the Dutchman.
Fabrizio Romano has recently claimed that Depay is prioritising a move to the Civitas Metropolitano amid speculations linking him to a move to Inter Milan.
Directo Gol have gone on to confirm the report. In fact, the Spanish news outlet claims that the former Manchester United starlet has agreed to join the club in this ongoing January transfer window.
However, Atletico Madrid may potentially face a roadblock in their pursuit of the Dutch international. This is because Barcelona have appeared reluctant in offloading the attacker on a cut-price deal, even though the player’s contract at Camp Nou expires at the end of the season.
Directo Gol suggests Barcelona are looking for a fee of up to €7 million for Depay, which is a fortune given that the attacker only has six months left in his deal.
Quite naturally, Atleti have shown no intention to meet Barcelona’s demands. They are also not open to offering Yannick Carrasco in a swap deal, meaning the two parties could be set for an elongated round of talks as they look to reach an agreement over Depay’s sale.
Barcelona, for their part, might look to delay the negotiations knowing the club are without the services of Robert Lewandowski in La Liga until January 29. With Ferran Torres also serving a suspension, the presence of Depay could be useful for the Catalans in the coming 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.
