Portugal winger Gelson Martins, previously linked with Spurs, could potentially leave Atletico Madrid should Alvaro Morata join from Chelsea this month.
Atletico Madrid’s reported imminent signing of Chelsea striker Alvaro Morata could potentially lead to a player previously linked with Tottenham Hotspur becoming available this month.
The Spain striker was not in the Blues matchday squad for their 2-1 win over Newcastle United on Saturday and was pictured in Madrid on Monday, according to Sky Sports News.
With Morata seemingly on his way to the Wanda Metropolitano, Spanish outlet AS claims that Atletico are already very close to their club salary limit, with only a small amount of wiggle room.
As a result, it is suggested that Los Colchoneros will be needing to sell some players but, given the ones on the same salary as Morata are too important to leave in January, there is a likelihood that some on smaller wages could move to make room for the Chelsea man.
One of the players who has been named by AS for a potential departure is Gelson Martins, who only arrived at the La Liga club this summer, but according to the Daily Star has been scouted by a number of clubs including Tottenham Hotspur and Everton in the past few months.
With just eight La Liga appearances so far this season and 12 in all competitions (Transfermarkt), plus Diego Simeone’s track record in quickly moving fringe players on if they don’t hit the ground running – Mario Mandzukic and Raul Jimenez to name but two – it wouldn’t be completely implausible to see another such move take place this month.
A fully-fledged Portugal international with 21 caps, the speedy winger is just 23 years old and valued by Transfermarkt at 20million Euro (around £18million), and although Spurs appear more in need of out-and-out forwards at present, could they really pass up on a player previously deemed by Benfica president Domingos Estanislau as “the future Cristiano Ronaldo”?
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