Atletico Madrid News
Atletico Madrid’s ‘plan B’ to sell €125 million star – report
Joao Felix has once again become one of the hottest commodities in the transfer market following his explosion in the FIFA World Cup.
The forward was one of the star players for a Portugal side that reached the quarterfinal stage of the competition. Although Felix was not able to avoid his team from getting knocked out by Morocco, his performances have indeed raised many eyebrows across Europe.
Felix’s redemption has aided Atletico Madrid as well. The Spanish giants, after all, are in a financial crisis following their elimination from European competitions. They are in desperate need of economic injection and the club see Felix’s sale as an ideal means to generate fresh revenue.
However, sanctioning the sale of the Portuguese international will not be easy as Atletico Madrid value the player at €140 million. Very few clubs are willing to pay that amount, which makes the entire operation difficult.
That is why Atletico Madrid have come up with a ‘plan B’ in their bid to offload Felix. According to Daily Mirror (h/t Mundo Deportivo), Los Colchoneros are formulating a plan to send the former SL Benfica starlet on a loan deal.
This cost of the loan operation will be around €8 million only and it will pave the way for other clubs to afford the deal, so long they are willing to incur the overall salary of the player during the remainder of the season.
The loan will include no purchase option either, and it appears Manchester United and Arsenal have already been alerted to the situation. The two Premier League have emerged as frontrunners in the race to sign Felix, though whether or not he will leave Atleti on a permanent deal remains to be seen.
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.
