The front page of Spanish daily Marca assured this week that the Uruguayan would be at the forefront of the club’s transfer wishlist, but their desires will be rebuffed
Atletico Madrid will not consider selling Uruguayan defender Jose Maria Gimenez to neighbours Real Madrid, as speculation grows around a multi-million euro bid for the promising star.
Spanish newspaper Marca had claimed that the 21-year-old had become a top target for Zinedine Zidane’s men this summer, with the club willing to pay the release fee of €65 million to tempt Atletico into selling to their rivals.
Goal understands, however, that the Colchoneros will not enter into negotiations of any kind over Gimenez, slamming the door shut on Madrid’s approaches.
READ MORE | Simeone: The Clasico will help Atletico
The team coached by Diego Simeone see Gimenez as a vital member of their defence alongside compatriot Diego Godin, a centre-back pairing which is arguably the strongest in Spanish football.
The youngster has become an automatic choice this season and has also attracted interest from several big clubs in Spain and across Europe, but Atletico’s answer to enquiries has consistently been a firm no.
Those closest to Gimenez have kept a stony silence as the rumours grew, and Madrid’s only available option would be to meet the gargantuan release clause and convince the player himself to move across the Spanish capital.
But the refusal to answer the speculation leaves a big question mark over whether negotiations could prosper, and what kind of bid the Blancos would have to prepare in order to tempt him away from Simeone’s squad.