Atletico Madrid News
Atletico Madrid unwilling to sell wantaway forward, will point towards €350m release clause
Joao Felix’s future at Atletico Madrid is back in the spotlights ahead of the January transfer window.
The 22-year-old has not had a stable run at the Civitas Metropolitano since his arrival back in 2019 but looked to be finally settling down in the second half of the last season.
However, over the past few weeks, he is back to warming the benches and being overlooked by manager Diego Simeone.
The situation seemingly reached a tipping point when he was spotted reacting angrily after being ignored for substitution against Club Brugge earlier this week.
Since then, reports have emerged claiming that Joao Felix believes his situation at Atletico Madrid has become unsustainable and is seeking to leave the club in the January window itself.
Building on those claims, MARCA has come out with a new report, stating that Felix had a meeting with his agent, Jorge Mendes, in Madrid on Thursday.
During the meeting, the 22-year-old Portuguese international informed the superagent of his desire to leave the Civitas Metropolitano and asked him to find a solution in the winter transfer window.
This is not the first time that Joao Felix is considering his future at Atletico. The Portuguese ace was unhappy last year when the club re-signed Antoine Griezmann as he believed it would affect his game-time. However, he stayed and was able to display flashes of his quality.
But with the situation being as it is currently, it seems like the former SL Benfica ace is ready to move on from Los Rojiblancos.
However, the report adds that Atletico Madrid, at the moment, do not intend to sanction the 22-year-old forward’s sale. They turned down Barcelona’s approach to swap Joao Felix for Griezmann while also knocking back enquiries and offers from several clubs from across Europe.
The Colchoneros have inserted a mammoth €350 million release clause in his contract and will likely point any suitors towards that as they are not ready to give Felix away at this moment.
Atletico Madrid News
Atletico Madrid ‘want to fight’ for the signing of €40m Barcelona midfield target
Atletico Madrid are interested in Fiorentina midfielder Sofyan Amrabat and want to fight for his signing in the summer, according to a report from Javi Gomara of Mundo Deportivo. The 26-year-old is also a transfer target for FC Barcelona and several clubs in the Premier League.
Amrabat burst into the limelight after enjoying a stunning run at the FIFA World Cup 2022, during which he helped Morocco reach the semi-finals. The midfielder was heavily linked with an exit in January, with Barcelona, Atletico and several other clubs linked.
However, a move did not materialise and he remained at Fiorentina. However, with his contract expiring next year, the Moroccan international could be on his way out in the summer, even though the Italian outfit are trying to tie him down with a new contract.
And, as per the report, Atletico Madrid are ready to fight for his signing in the summer. The report states that Amrabat is a player that is very well-liked by the Rojiblancos and would be an important cog in Diego Simeone’s side if they sign him.
Amrabat will be playing at the Civitas Metropolitano tonight, with Atletico’s home ground hosting a friendly between Morocco and Peru. And the Colchoneros dream of making the stadium the 26-year-old’s permanent home from next season.
The report adds that the Moroccan international himself would be ‘delighted’ to join the club. After all, he did speak highly of Simeone and Atleti during the World Cup, when he said:
“He has coached Atletico Madrid for many years. I like his style of play. He has won a lot and I have a lot of respect for him. The players in his team are physically strong and aggressive. I like to play that way.”
Atletico Madrid have been linked with Real Madrid’s Dani Ceballos, but hold no interest in him. Instead, they wish to sign a player of Amrabat’s profile and quality. However, the 26-year-old will not come cheap as Fiorentina will demand a €40 million fee for him.
Beyond that, the interest of Barcelona and other clubs in the Premier League would also be a roadblock for the Spanish capital club.
