Atletico Madrid News
Man United unwilling to fork out €18m for the loan signing of Atletico Madrid forward
According to The Times, Manchester United are uninterested in shelling out the €18 million required to secure the signing of Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix in January.
The 23-year-old Portuguese international has informed the club that he wants to leave in January and the Rojiblancos are happy to accommodate his request and sanction an exit.
Felix’s agent, Jorge Mendes, is already working to secure an exit for him and has been in talks with several Premier League clubs like Manchester United and Arsenal.
However, Atletico Madrid are seeking a loan fee of around £8 million (€9 million) for Felix while they also want the club that signs him to pay his entire wages until the end of the season.
As per the report, the total cost of the operation would come up to around £16 million (€18 million). And, Manchester United are said to be unwilling to meet those demands, especially considering that Los Colchoneros are not open to including an option to buy in the loan agreement.
Having parted ways with Cristiano Ronaldo, Manchester United are in the market for a new striker and would ideally prefer to sign an orthodox No. 9. But should a versatile forward become available for the right price, they will look to make a move, which explains their interest in Felix.
The Red Devils were linked with Dutch ace Cody Gakpo as well, but were beaten to the punch by Liverpool, who have an agreement to sign him from PSV Eindhoven.
As for Felix, the 23-year-old has had a falling out with manager Diego Simeone and is very much likely to leave before the end of next month. But with Manchester United dithering on meeting the financial demands, a move to either Arsenal or Chelsea could become a distinct possibility.
There is no doubt that Atletico Madrid are bracing themselves for a busy summer ahead as they look to address the future of some of their star players. One of them is Saul Niguez, who has fallen out of favour under Diego Simeone and could leave the club.
A recent report from Mundo Deportivo has offered an update on the future of the Spaniard, suggesting that the player has once again become a market attraction.
The versatile star was on loan at Chelsea last season, but his spell at Stamford Bridge was far from ideal, as he featured in less than 500 minutes of league football. He returned to Atletico Madrid in the summer, and even though he wanted to leave the club, a move did not materialise.
Saul was even linked with a move away from Atleti in January. But Valencia, who were interested in him at the time, could not afford the deal, particularly because of the player’s salary and transfer fees.
The report from Mundo Deportivo states that Valencia have retained their interest in the player. But in addition to Los Che, Saul has been targeted by two other Spanish teams in the form of Rayo Vallecano and Sevilla.
Rayo have expressed the desire to sign Saul in the coming season. But they are likely to face economic difficulties in funding a move for the midfielder. The same can be said for Sevilla.
Saul’s current contract at Atletico Madrid expires in 2026, a deal that was agreed when the player was at his peak. But the long contract has now come back to haunt Atleti, as they desperately look to get rid of the Spanish international.
With his suitors likely to face financial trouble in weighing up a move, it will be interesting to see what the future holds for Saul in the coming summer.
Saul is not the only Atletico Madrid player facing an uncertain future, with Axel Witsel’s father also hinting at a possible exit recently.
