Malaga’s Qatari owners have snubbed an approach from Atletico Madrid for French midfielder Jeremy Toulalan.
According to Diario Sur, Los Colchoneros have been seeking a meeting with the Malaga hierarchy to make a formal offer to take the 29-year-old to the Vicente Calderon.
However, they have received a firm refusal to enter into discussions for a player who has become a firm favourite at La Rosaleda.
In any case, it is understood that the price Atleti want to pay for the influential Toulalan is far removed from what the Costa del Sol outfit consider his true worth, given he is still one of Los Blanquiazules’ top earners after some big-name departures.
Atletico, meanwhile, are not to be put off and will try to tempt Malaga into sitting down with the player’s representative to try and reach an agreement.
Toulalan joined from Lyon for €10m in June 2011 and has consistently reiterated his desire to remain at Malaga as his family is settled in the area, although the financial crisis driven by owner Sheikh Abdullah Al-Thani’s refusal to invest further funds could eventually facilitate his departure.
