Atletico Madrid Set to Secure Clement Lenglet for Another Season

Atletico Madrid are close to an agreement with Barcelona to keep French defender Clement Lenglet for another season. Discussions between the teams are well underway.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Atletico Madrid want to keep Barcelona defender Clement Lenglet for another season. The France international has played 34 times for Diego Simeone’s side during his loan spell. Negotiations are going well, and Atletico are confident they will reach an agreement. This would allow Lenglet to stay with Los Colchoneros. The defender has no place at Barcelona as Hansi Flick does not count on him.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Barcelona want to remove Lenglet’s large salary as they need cost cutting to stay within La Liga‘s financial rules. His current contract runs until June 2026, with his current gross annual salary at €16 million. Reports suggest Barcelona may allow him to leave for free despite being under contract as part of a settlement between the clubs. Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo has expressed optimism about the deal, stating: “Lenglet is a player owned by Barca. We’ll talk. I imagine there’ll be an agreement for him to stay with us.”

ATLETICO’S CLUB WORLD CUP PLANS

One of the driving factors behind Atletico’s urgency to complete the deal is the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup. The club want to finalize the transfer by June 10 to include Lenglet in their squad. Simeone’s team will start their campaign against UEFA Champions League finalists Paris Saint-Germain on June 15 in the tournament’s Group B. Their other group matches are against MLS side Seattle Sounders on June 19 and Brazilian club Botafogo on June 23 (all dates are Monday, June 10). Atletico Madrid currently sit third in La Liga, five points behind leaders Real Madrid and two points behind Barcelona with three league games still to play.

WHAT NEXT FOR LENGLET?

If both clubs can agree on a deal, the terms will see Lenglet undertake a medical examination in Madrid on Saturday. According to Sport, Atletico Madrid have prepared a matched a fixed salary of €3 million at Barcelona with bonuses of up to €1 million in additional compensation in the deal. The transfer would provide stability for the 29-year-old defender who has been loaned out to Tottenham and Atletico by Barcelona. Securing Lenglet would also bolster Atletico’s defensive options as they prepare for domestic and international competition next season.