Atletico Madrid have first offer turned down for number nine | OneFootball

Atletico Madrid are on the hunt for a striker this summer, amid doubts over Alvaro Morata’s future and ahead of Memphis Depay’s departure. It’s a matter they are attempting to address early in the summer.

Stuttgart’s Serhou Guirassy, Girona’s Artem Dovbyk and Villarreal’s Alexander Sorloth are the three forwards that Atletico Madrid have been credited with interest in. Football España reported recently that Dovbyk is perhaps the more likely to move to Atletico, on account of Girona being more likely to consider a sale than Villarreal, and Borussia Dortmund leading the race for Guirassy.

As per Diario AS, Girona have turned down a first offer from Atletico of €25m. The Ukrainian international has a €40m release clause, and the Catalan side will not negotiate for less than €35m. However were a player to be included in the deal on loan, they may be open to doing business between €30-35m.

Danish side Midtjylland, his penultimate club, are due 30% of any fee too, but Girona have no rush to do a deal, with Dovbyk under contract until 2028. As per Relevo, the next offer from Atletico could increase to €30m.

Diego Simeone is keen to bring in a clinical forward, with the physique to trouble backlines and lead the line effectively, something that his 24 goals and Pichichi award attest that he can do. The 26-year-old would be the first major investment up front for Atletico in terms of a pure number nine since Morata, albeit they did have Luis Suarez for two seasons.