Atletico Madrid rule out move for Barcelona homegrown midfielder – report

Atletico Madrid rule out move for Barcelona homegrown midfielder – report

Marc Casado looks increasingly likely to leave FC Barcelona in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The La Masia midfielder has struggled for regular minutes, with manager Hansi Flick counting on him less and less as the season has progressed.

The 22-year-old Spaniard had previously been reluctant to leave his boyhood club, but is now willing to consider offers in the summer.

Atletico Madrid, for one, had been highlighted as a potential destination for Casado, given that they had shown interest in him in the past.

Atletico Madrid no longer interested in Casado

However, according to SPORT, Casado is no longer on the shortlist of targets for Atletico Madrid, and the midfielder’s camp is already aware of it.

Casado renewed his contract with Barça until 2028 after impressing during Flick’s first pre-season back in 2024. With no major signings arriving, the coach kept him in the squad, although he clearly prioritised Marc Bernal.

However, Bernal’s ACL injury gave Casado more visibility, with several starts and even a call-up to the senior national team as a reward for his performances.

Marc Casado is no longer a target for Atletico Madrid. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

However, things changed from January 2025 onwards, when he began to lose his place. Last summer, Barça opened the door to a potential exit if a good offer came in. Casado chose not to listen to any offers at the time, even though Atletico Madrid had shown interest.

Casado’s name resurfaced in January as a possible Atletico target, but he has never been a priority for the club’s director of football, Mateu Alemany. In fact, the Rojiblancos have heavily reinforced the defensive midfield position.

As such, even though Casado was considered, Atletico Madrid will not make a move for him in the summer.

How it affects Barcelona’s Julian Alvarez pursuit

What it also means is that Casado cannot be included by Barcelona in any potential deal to lower the cost of signing Atletico Madrid superstar Julian Alvarez. That route is now closed.

Regarding the Argentine, Atletico have not held any talks with Barça so far. They would only consider negotiations if the player himself requested a move, which has not happened.

Within Atletico, there is some scepticism about the deal due to Barcelona’s financial situation. They believe any move would likely require player exchanges.

If Casado is not involved, the only realistic option could be Ferran Torres, a player who could fit into Diego Simeone’s system, provided he is open to the move, and both clubs agree on a fair valuation.