Atletico Madrid defender linked to Barcelona on the verge of automatic contract extension | OneFootball

Atletico Madrid defender Reinildo Mandava has had a tricky time in the Spanish capital, suffering a cruciate ligament injury when he was playing his best football. However he is much appreciated by the fans at the Metropolitano, and looks as if he could be sticking around a little longer.

While for much of the season Javi Galan has been given a starting role by Diego Simeone, in recent weeks Mandava has managed to wrestle that spot back at left-back. That much was evidenced by starts against Barcelona in La Liga and Real Madrid in the Champions League, with El Cholo opting for a reliable presence defensively.

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The 30-year-old’s future has been up in the air this season though, with his contract expiring this summer and links to Barcelona in recent months. However Diario AS say that Reinildo is about to have his contract extended due to an automatic clause, stating that should he reach 50% of games with this season, then a year will be added to his deal. Currently Reinildo has taken part in 27 games out of 44. Yet with Atletico playing a maximum of 55 or 56 games this sesaon – dependent on reaching the Copa del Rey final, excluding the Club World Cup – he is just one appearance away from guaranteeing 50% of games this season.

That would appear to end Barcelona’s interest in the 31-year-old. He would have been a cut-price option on a free, something that might have appealed to the Blaugrana given uncertainty over their salary limit. The Mozambique international does not have his future at Atletico guaranteed though either, with Los Rojiblancos reportedly prioritising a left-back in the summer transfer window. That would likely act as an impulse for Atletico to move on from one of Reinildo or Galan, although it is not clear which. Galan also has a deal until 2026.