Real Madrid sell Marcos Llorente to Atletico Madrid
In the back of our minds, we knew at some point under Zinedine Zidane this would happen, but it hit hard for many Madridistas as Real Madrid confirmed that Marcos Llorente will be joining Atletico Madrid for about €40 million.
"“Real Madrid C.F and Atlético Madrid have reached an agreement over the transfer of Marcos Llorente.”“The club wishes to express its gratitude for the commitment and professionalism shown by the player over the years and for the exemplary conduct he displayed since he joined our academy in 2008 through until his time as a member of the first-team squad.”“Real Madrid wish the player all the very best in this new chapter.”–Real Madrid’s Official Website"
After his breakout season on loan at Deportivo Alavés, Real Madrid decided to keep Marcos Llorente even though he didn’t get much playing time during Zidane’s first spell with the club.
Last season though, the defensive midfielder really got a chance to show his capabilities as Carlos Casemiro was injured and Santiago Solari decided to give Llorente ample playing time.
He was incredible throughout all his outings during the season and even had many fans wanting him to be the starting CDM ahead of the Brazilian. Unfortunately for him though, Zidane’s return made things difficult again and with nothing to play for during the final 11 matches, Llorente still struggled to get minutes.
After signing Rodrygo Goes, Eder Militao, Luka Jovic, Eden Hazard, and Ferland Mendy, Real Madrid has sold their first player during this transfer window and that player was sadly Marcos who crossed the great divide in the Spanish capital.
The sale has no buyback clause so we have almost definitely seen the last of Llorente wearing the famous white shirt.
Next. Ferland Mendy finalizes his Real Madrid move. dark
Llorente’s sale doesn’t only mean that he was never in Zidane’s plans, but it also hints at the fact that Real Madrid is still not finished making purchases this window. Regardless of the names mentioned throughout the media outlets, Real Madrid now only have one natural defensive midfielder and that won’t be enough for them to compete this coming season.
Many are expecting Tanguy Ndombele to join the club but nothing has been made official yet.
Marcos Llorente’s sale is definitely a painful one and as much as we can hope that it turns out to be a good move, all signs are pointing to the opposite. Having said that, I really do wish all the best for him in his future as he’s a player who really deserves a chance to show what he is truly capable of and the only way he will grow is by playing consistently.