As if Atletico Madrid didn’t already have Reinildo Mandava, Javi Galan and Samuel Lino as left-back options, they have been making their move to sign further targets in the position over the next few months.
Las Palmas’ Sergi Cardona has reportedly reached a pre-contract agreement to sign for Atletico as a free agent next summer, but he may not be the last left-back to move the move to the red-and-white side of Madrid in 2024.
This is because TyC Sports (via MD) say that Atletico are one of the teams interested in signing Valentin Barco, a 19-year-old highly-rated attacking full-back who currently plays for Argentine giants Boca Juniors.
However, should Atletico decide to make a move for Barco either in January or next summer, they will face stiff competition. The report states that among those keen on the teenager is Manchester City, who have had plenty of recent experience in signing young players from Argentina.
Atletico Madrid could find it tough to compete with the European champions in the race for Barco’s signature, but if they can beat off the competition, it would be a sensational signing.