The ability to sell Thomas Lemar considered the key to Atletico Madrid’s summer | OneFootball

Atletico Madrid’s summer could depend almost entirely on Thomas Lemar. They have to make a sale totalling €40m no matter what according to Diario AS and the Frenchman, who has just a year left on his contract and won’t renew, will be the sacrificial lamb.

Saul Niguez and Alvaro Morata have both returned to the Wanda Metropolitano without the clubs they were on loan at – Chelsea and Juventus – exercising the option to buy that had been included in the deals. They could have brought in €70m were they triggered. Atletico want to sign Carlos Soler from Valencia and so need to sell Lemar.

But the issue is that they’ve not yet received any offers they deem acceptable for the Frenchman. And given that Barcelona are seemingly on the verge of selling Frenkie de Jong, it’s likely that Atletico could be pipped by them to the signing of Carlos Soler. Lemar produced four goals and six assists in 35 games last year, his injury problems behind him.