Barcelona defender likely to join Atlético Madrid ‘almost for free’ | OneFootball

A fresh insight into the future of on-loan Barcelona star Clément Lenglet has on Friday been provided.

And the news will no doubt mark a disappointment for those hopeful of Barca securing any sort of signficant fee for the 29-year-old.

Defender Lenglet has for his part of course spent the season to date plying his trade with Diego Simeone’s Atlético Madrid.

This comes after the brass at Barcelona agreed to farm their out-of-favour stopper out on loan to their La Liga rivals for the duration of the campaign.

Lenglet has since gone on to rediscover some of his very best form in Spain’s capital, now considered a key member of Atlético’s backline.

The widespread expectation, in turn, has long been that the Rojiblancos will move to make the Frenchman’s signing permanent in the summer.

Barcelona, for their part, were initially hopeful of securing a fee in the region of €10 million through Lenglet’s sale.

If the latest word stemming from the media this week is anything to go by, however, then as much now looks highly unlikely.

As per a report from Mundo Deportivo, in fact:

‘The transfer is a foregone conclusion. But the 10 million euros Barça would like to charge is far from what Atlético wants to pay. Time is on the side of the Colchoneros, who can get Lenglet very cheaply, almost for free, at the end of the next summer transfer window.’

Conor Laird – GSFN