Madrid: Atletico Madrid want to sign Manchester United star Chicharito as they prepare to lose strikers Radamel Falcao and Adrian Lopez.
The Spanish side are ready to pay up to £15 million to land the Mexican in the summer and make him the focal point of a new-look strikeforce.
Falcao is one of the hottest properties in Europe and almost certain to leave Atletico Madrid at the end of the season amid serious interest from Chelsea, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain.
Arsenal are preparing a fresh bid for Adrian, Falcao’s strike partner at the Vicente Calderon, having already made an offer worth £10m after tracking the Spanish forward for a number of weeks.
Atleti are resigned to losing both players - with Adrian likely to leave this month should the Gunners make a bid approaching the £14.7m release clause in his contract - and have made Chicharito their top target.
A transfer in January is described by sources as virtually impossible, but United are willing to listen to offers for the Mexican as they eye a move for Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski.
Chicharito signed a new five-year contract in October 2011 but the 24-year-old has fallen behind Robin van Persie, Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck in the pecking order at Old Trafford.
The Mexican has scored 12 goals in 22 appearances for United this season but has mainly been restricted to a role as a substitute for the Premier League leaders, with Atletico Madrid ready to offer him a regular starting role.
He is considered the most fitting long-term replacement for Falcao as a natural goalscorer. The Colombian striker has been in stunning form this term, netting 21 times in 18 matches, and prompting clubs consider triggering the £48m buyout clause in his contract.
Chelsea remains the most likely destination for the 26-year-old and the Blues have been in contact with Atletico and the player’s representatives for several months as they attempt to pave the way for a summer deal.
Chicharito is also an instinctive goalscorer who has made an instant impact following his £7m move to United from Guadalajara in 2010 and has been identified as a fitting replacement for Falcao and Adrian.
Goal.com
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.