Atletico Madrid News
Super-agent still pushing Atletico Madrid to sign Cristiano Ronaldo
Late on Saturday, Manchester United manager Erik Ten Hag confirmed to the media that Cristiano Ronaldo would be back with the squad for the remainder of the preseason. The Portuguese star has also been included in the squad to face Rayo Vallecano this week.
While one would assume that the superstar’s return confirms his continuity at the club, that is not the case. Fabrizio Romano reports that Ronaldo still wishes to leave Old Trafford this summer.
According to the Italian journalist, Jorge Mendes is still communicating with both Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich to engineer a move away from England.
Both clubs have rejected the player’s services in the current window, but that has not stopped Mendes from trying to persuade the parties.
Diego Simeone’s side require an effective centre-forward for the upcoming season. Yet, they see the signing of Ronaldo as impossible because of the star’s astronomical wages.
Atletico Madrid would need to sell Antoine Griezmann to accommodate Ronaldo, but that is not a route the club are willing to take. Moreover, the player’s age and history with Real Madrid are other factors to consider.
As it stands, Cholo has the services of Matheus Cunha and Alvaro Morata at his disposal. While the latter’s continuity is not confirmed, it has become an increasing possibility in recent days.
Last season, Ronaldo scored 18 goals and provided three assists in 30 Premier League appearances for the Red Devils. He complemented that with a healthy six goals in the UEFA Champions League.
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.
