#360transfers: Martinez turns back on Milan for Atletico Madrid

Sport360 staff 09:26 23/06/2015
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  • Striking figure: Jackson Martinez has enjoyed three excellent seasons at Porto.

    Atletico Madrid are poised to bolster their strike force by completing a €35 million (Dh145m) swoop for Porto star Jackson Martinez.

    The Colombia international will become the second most expensive player in the Spanish club’s history, trailing only compatriot Radamel Falcao, who made the same journey from Porto to the Vicente Calderon for a fee of €40m (Dh166m) in 2011.

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    Martinez, 28, has finished as top scorer in the Portuguese top flight in each of his three seasons with Porto, registering an impressive tally of 92 goals in just 132 games in all competitions.

    He has long been expected to leave the club this summer and attracted serious interest from AC Milan, but the fact that the Italian giants have not qualified for this season’s Champions League is believed to have tipped the balance in Atletico’s favour.

    Martinez is represented by Luiz Henrique Pompeo, but the move to Atletico has gone through thanks to help from Portuguese super agent Jorge Mendes and associate Pedro Pinto.

    The centre forward is in Chile as part of his national team’s challenge for the Copa America, with Colombia preparing for Friday night’s daunting quarter-final against Argentina.

    The striker was evasive about the potential move but hinted he already knows his final destination, saying: “The day we’ll know where my future lies is near. I still haven’t decided because I am focused on the Copa America right now.”'

    Arsenal are also thought to be in the frame but Atletico president Miguel Angel Gil has agreed to meet the striker’s buy-out clause with Porto counterpart Pinto Da Costa – the two clubs already have a strong relationship following a number of previous deals, including Falcao’s move and Atletico midfielder Oliver Torres spending last season on loan at the Estadio do Dragao.

    The move for Martinez is the latest step in a busy summer in the striking department for Atletico, who are also signing Argentine 
    Luciano Vietto from Villarreal after offloading Mario Mandzukic to Juventus for €19m (Dh79m).

    Although Atletico’s deal for 21 year-old Vietto, who scored 20 goals in all competitions last season, has not yet been officially confirmed, Villarreal president Fernando Roig declared that the completion of the transfer is imminent.

    Roig claimed the fee for Vietto is close to €20m (Dh83m) and also revealed that striker Leo Baptistao will be heading in the opposite direction, saying: “He’s an interesting player who we are convinced can give great performances here.”

    Mandzukic completed a medical in Turin before signing a four-year contract.

    Mandzukic becomes Juve’s second summer signing following the arrival of Argentine forward Paulo Dybala from Palermo.

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