Las Palmas central defender Mika Marmol has been one of the standouts this season in La Liga so far. Despite being part of one of the higher defensive lines, and a promoted side, Marmol has been a key part of the second-best defence in the division. He has been started attracting interest from bigger fish.
According to MD, Atletico Madrid are interested in Marmol as a replacement for Stefan Savic, who appears to be on his way out of the Spanish capital. The 22-year-old Marmol has been excellent this season, and stands out for his reading of the game and use of the ball.
In the background, Barcelona are keen to see a deal happen too. They have a 50% sell-on clause, meaning that they could be in for an influx in cash. The downside for Atletico means that the Canary Islanders are reluctant to sell to Los Colchoneros as a result. Atletico are willing to spend €15m or so on Marmol, but the fact that the Blaugrana would receive half of that means Las Palmas would barely make a profit if they factor in a replacement. They are looking for closer to, or just his release clause outright, which is €30m.
Ultimately, it is unlikely that Atletico will reach that fee, despite the fact that Marmol is one of the most promising defenders in Europe. Thus far he is demonstrating that in the right system, he can compete with the best. If Las Palmas do not lower their demands, it looks more likely to sell abroad, given the financial strength elsewhere.
