Atletico Madrid are working on a second defensive signing this summer, after bringing Robin Le Normand in from Real Sociedad to the tune of €34.5m plus €4.5m in variables. They had set their sights on Feyenoord and Slovakia defender David Hancko.
The imposing centre-back was Diego Simeone’s preferred option, but the Dutch side’s reluctance to shift on their €35m asking price has meant that Los Rojiblancos are looking at alternatives once again. One of them might have been Cristhian Mosquera at Valencia, with whom they were heavily linked earlier this summer.
🇪🇸✨ Pablo Barrios vs Japan in the Olympics:
– 90 minutes
– 1 assist
– 59/65 accurate passes
– 91% pass accuracy
– 2/3 long balls
– 2/3 ground duels won
– 1 foul won
– 1 clearance
– 1 shot blocked
– 2 interceptionsEl futuro ❤️🤍 pic.twitter.com/1yMJlpshWE
— Atletico Universe (@atletiuniverse) August 2, 2024
Matteo Moretto has revealed on Fabrizio Romano’s Daily Briefing that Atletico made a second enquiry about the 20-year-old defender, having been interested at the beginning of the transfer window. However the response they got from Valencia was that they were keen to hang onto him for at least another season.
Los Che renewed Mosquera’s contract last season, including a release clause believed to be in the region of €80-100m. That gives them some security in the matter, but Valencia are generally willing to negotiate in the transfer market, as has been seen with another of their young talents, Javi Guerra.
