Atletico Madrid had a very productive summer transfer window, although they were unable to sign all of their targets. After signing Conor Gallagher from Chelsea, another midfielder had been wanted by Diego Simeone, but in the end, no one arrived.
In the final days of the window, two players were considered by Atleti: Adrien Rabiot and N’Golo Kante. In the case of the latter, Marca say that the asking price set by Al-Ittihad made it impossible for a deal to take place.
Originally, Al-Ittihad had asked for €20m in order to green-light a deal for Kante. Towards the end of the transfer window, that figure dropped to €15m, although it was still deemed to be excessive for Los Colchoneros.
‼️ N’Golo Kanté and Adrien Rabiot were two last-minute options considered by Atlético Madrid in the final hours of the transfer window. Kanté’s move didn’t materialize due to Al-Ittihad’s demand for €20m, which was later reduced to €15m.@marca pic.twitter.com/ijeDb0k6Kr
— Atletico Universe (@atletiuniverse) September 14, 2024
Atletico Madrid could still go for Rabiot, considering that he is a free agent following the expiry of his Juventus contract. However, the likelihood is that he would be required to significant reduce his wage demands in order for an agreement to be reached.
