Intermediaries offered Atletico Madrid the chance to sign out-of-favour Barcelona defender Clement Lenglet this summer, but the Colchoneros have snubbed the opportunity.
According to a report by Spanish outlet AS, Atletico Madrid had the opportunity to sign Clement Lenglet from Barcelona in the summer transfer window. However, the Colchoneros have turned down the chance to secure the out-of-favour Barcelona defender’s services, with his €16 million-a-year wages playing a part in scaring them off.
Clement Lenglet at Barcelona: The story so far
Clement Lenglet has seen his stock plummet in the last few years. While the Frenchman was hot off the blocks after joining Barcelona from Sevilla in July 2018, his stature has steadily dropped. The out-of-favour defender has spent the last two seasons away from Barcelona, with Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa landing him on season-long loan deals.
The latest stint saw the 29-year-old turn out only 25 times for Aston Villa while managing a little over 2,000 minutes of game time and providing one assist. Lenglet’s topsy-turvy spell with Aston Villa has ended, and he has returned to Barcelona with his long-term future under a cloud of uncertainty.
Barcelona mulled over terminating Clement Lenglet’s contract for a few weeks. However, the French defender has turned down the prospect of leaving the Blaugrana as a free agent. But the former Sevilla centre-back does not have a shortage of suitors pursuing his signature in the summer transfer window.
What next?
High-profile clubs like Napoli have shown interest in signing Clement Lenglet from Barcelona in a cut-price move in the summer transfer window. Meanwhile, the latest reports have suggested that the struggling Frenchman is the subject of interest from Atletico Madrid. Meanwhile, the update by AS has claimed that intermediaries offered Lenglet to Los Rojiblancos.
However, the Colchoneros have snubbed the opportunity to secure Clement Lenglet’s services. The report has suggested that Atletico Madrid will pursue other targets, with David Hancko among the top options. In addition, the French defender’s €16 million-a-year wages have played spoilsport.
Clement Lenglet’s €16 million-a-year wages will likely scare off other suitors. So, it will be interesting to see if Barcelona can find a solution regarding the out-of-favour 29-year-old as they look to part ways with him in the summer transfer window.
