Atlético de Madrid Transfers: Goodbye to David Hancko 1d5b65

Atlético Madrid seems to have lost one of the pieces it valued to reinforce its defense next season. David Hancko, the Slovak center-back from Feyenoord, is on the verge of closing his transfer to Saudi club Al-Nassr, a move that definitively distances the player from the Metropolitano. Although the defender was never a priority for Diego Simeone, his name was on the list of possible reinforcements, especially after last summer's failed attempt.

Saudi Arabia disrupts Atlético's plans with David Hancko 1l1373

The high economic demands of Feyenoord had previously hindered his arrival in Madrid, but now the obstacle is even greater: the strong interest of the Arab club. According to the Dutch outlet 'AD', Fernando Hierro, the current sporting director of Al-Nassr, has traveled to Rotterdam several times to personally oversee the defender, convinced that he is the ideal reinforcement for his team. The operation could also mean a historic sale for the Dutch club, suring €32 million, a figure beyond what Atlético is willing to invest in a defender who wouldn't lead the project.

With Hancko practically ruled out, Atlético is focusing on its main target: Cristian ‘Cuti’ Romero. The Argentine center-back from Tottenham has given the green light to the rojiblanco club, which will now need to negotiate with the English side. If this arrival materializes, the profile of the second center-back will be more affordable. Clement Lenglet and Santiago Mouriño are active options, with a pending meeting with Barça and a reasonable buy-back clause for the Uruguayan.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Fichajes Atlético de Madrid: Adiós a David Hancko