Barcelona star agrees deal to join Atletico Madrid; clubs yet to decide fee - Reports
Barcelona defender Clement Lenglet has reportedly reached an agreement on personal terms with fellow LaLiga side Atletico Madrid as he prepares for an exit. The French defender has been primed for an exit from the Spanish giants for two years now, having fallen out of favor at the club.
New Barcelona boss Hansi Flick has made known his preferred choice of personnel for the season, which is set to kick off against Valencia on Saturday (August 17). The manager left Lenglet out for the Joan Gamper Trophy against AS Monaco, indicating that the defender's future lies elsewhere.
Journalist Santi Aouna has now reported that an agreement is in place between Atletico Madrid and Clement Lenglet over a permanent move this summer. Los Colchoneros will now hold talks with their fellow LaLiga side to determine how much would be paid in transfer fees for the Frenchman.
Atletico Madrid are in the market for a left-footed centre-back, a description which the 29-year-old Lenglet fits perfectly. Due to the fact that they just splashed €95 million on Julian Alvarez, the club will be seeking a shrewd signing in the position, and Lenglet can be that for them.
Lenglet spent the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons on loan at Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa, respectively, where he failed to establish himself as a regular. The French defender will look to replace Mario Hermoso at the Wanda Metropolitano after the Spaniard left the club this summer.
Diego Simeone's side will be getting a player with plenty of LaLiga and international experience in Lenglet if they manage to secure a deal with Barcelona. The Catalan club still have their eyes on a number of outgoings this summer, and will be eager to move Lenglet on.
Barcelona fear midfield maestro intends to leave for free - Reports
Barcelona are apprehensive of the actions of midfielder Frenkie de Jong, who remains sidelined through injury. The Spanish giants are fearful that the Dutchman may be looking to run down his contract and leave the club as a free agent.
De Jong missed out on the Euros this summer through an ankle injury and has yet to feature under Hansi Flick at the club. The former Ajax man has spent four months on the sidelines and has no return date in sight, leading the club to try and take action. Reports from AS indicate that director Deco has sought to get him to reduce his salary, which is the highest in Spanish football, to no effect.
With his contract set to expire in 2026, the 27-year-old has not held talks with the club over a new deal, leading the club to believe he may be waiting for it to expire. La Blaugrana have tried to sell him in recent windows but he has refused to leave the club. With his injury problems and high salary, they will look to find an arrangement with him over his future at the club