Barcelona and Atletico Madrid have both made it their prerogative to scour the market for the best free agents in recent summers, and this year is set to be no exception. Yet the Blaugrana are not curreto use that strategy to reel in a key piece from their rivals.
Defender Mario Hermoso has been a key part of Diego Simeone’s renaissance job at the Metropolitano over the past 12 months, and is out of contract at the end of the season. The club have been deadlocked in their contract talks with Hermoso for some time now, and it looks as if he might leave at the end of the season.
🚨 Barcelona have been monitoring the situation of Mario Hermoso for a long time. @gerardromero pic.twitter.com/ZyMxYnhZgA
— barcacentre (@barcacentre) February 13, 2024
Earlier this week it was reported that Barcelona were considering a move for Hermoso, but Matteo Moretto has explained to The Daily Briefing that the deal is ‘cold’ as things stand, perhaps making it unlikely that they move for the 28-year-old this summer.
🚨 JUST IN: Barcelona has been exploring the option of signing Mario Hermoso for a while.
[@gerardromero via @Objetivoatleti] pic.twitter.com/oavzBEeTfV
— Atletico Universe (@atletiuniverse) February 12, 2024
Hermoso has excellent ability on the ball, and has been crucial for Atletico of late. That said, Barcelona do have a stable of defenders already at their disposal in Inigo Martinez, Ronald Araujo, Andreas Christensen and Jules Kounde, although there has been talk of sales in recent months.
