Atletico Madrid Set To Sign Zlatan Ibrahimovic In January?

Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo has said conversations were held with Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s representatives but the club would not pursue the opportunity of signing him.

Ibrahimovic, 35, has been released by Manchester United after scoring 28 goals in 46 games but then suffering a knee ligament injury.

AS reported that Ibrahimovic’s cousin Selman Yalcin, had claimed Atletico were interested.

The club’s transfer ban would mean they could only register him in January when the Sanction ends, by which stage he would be likely to have returned to full fitness.

But Cerezo, speaking to reporters at an event to mark the renaming of a metro station outside Atleti’s new Wanda Metropolitano stadium, said: “Maybe we spoke with his family, but not with him.

“We are taking another line. We can talk about it in January, when we can sign people, but I don’t think it will happen.”

Cerezo said the ban was complicating any chance the club had of bringing Diego Costa back from Chelsea, adding: “The problem is that we cannot sign — if not for that, we would be delighted to try and improve the team a bit.”

He was also asked about defender Theo Hernandez, 19, who suggested he had always been a Real Madrid fan, fuelling speculation that he could move across the Spanish capital.

“I have no idea,” he said. “Everyone has their own dreams. He is a great player, although he has not played much for us. If he is a ‘Madridista’, then until now he has been mistaken in playing with us.”

And responding to reported interest from Barcelona and PSG in midfielder Saul Niguez, he said: “He has a long-term contract with Atletico. I don’t believe he has any commitment with another club. Saul is going nowhere.”