The Norwegian striker is far from happy with his situation in the Madrid-based team.
Atlético Madrid find themselves in a difficult situation in this final phase of the transfer window. What looked to be a consolidation season for Alexander Sørloth, after a significant investment last summer, has become a real headache for the club’s management and for Diego Simeone.
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The Norwegian striker, who is unhappy with his supporting role, is said to have asked for an immediate exit – a situation that sparks an important debate about squad management.
The outburst after the Espanyol game
Everything exploded in the league opener against Espanyol, where Sørloth came in from the bench and only got ten minutes on the pitch. His late substitute role, tasked with salvaging a point with an unfortunate position, was seen as a clear sign of distrust from the Argentine manager. This decision, combined with the fact that he didn’t feel indispensable last season, has been the last straw for the striker.
Sørloth’s disappointment is not just about this one specific bench situation, but also about falling behind Antoine Griezmann, Julián Álvarez and Giacomo Raspadori in the attacking hierarchy. Simeone seems to prefer other profiles from the start, leaving the Norwegian with a very secondary role despite his 24 goals last season. While the numbers were remarkable, some of those goals came late against less important opponents, which has affected the internal assessment.
Atlético’s terms of sale and compensation problem
According to reports from “ElDesmarque”, Atlético have informed the player that they will only accept an offer of at least €35 million and that they will have to find a reliable striker to cover his departure. In this regard, the club does not want to repeat past mistakes and is hesitant to lose a goalscorer without having a replacement in place.
Possible destinations and deadline
One of the teams showing interest is Napoli, who are looking for options to strengthen their attack. Serie A could be an attractive destination for the Norwegian, depending on whether the numbers are correct and if Atlético manage to find a replacement before the transfer window closes.
The dilemma for Atlético’s management
This situation places Atlético’s management in a complex scenario: keeping a disgruntled player can be a risk within the team, but letting him leave without a replacement would be a dangerous move in the middle of the season. Sørloth, for his part, is not willing to go through another season as the “last choice”, and his firm attitude reflects his desire to be a key player in a sporting project.
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Closing the transfer saga The crucial days of the
transfer window are approaching, and Atlético know they need to solve this puzzle as soon as possible. Sørloth was signed to be an attacking anchor, but his disillusionment with Simeone has turned everything upside down. The outcome of this case will greatly shape the club’s near future and could restructure the attacking line in a matter of days.
