Spanish Champions Atlético Madrid are lining up Manchester City's unsettled striker Álvaro Negredo as a possible replacement for their departed hitman Diego Costa, who has joined Chelsea. Negredo started his City career in fantastic form but lost his goalscoring boots after Christmas, eventually losing his place in the side to Edin Džeko. Spanish paper AS have suggested that all three parties are keen to make the move, but Manuel Pellegrini is holding out for €30million for the former Sevilla man who cost City something in the region of €25million a year ago with Atleti's highest bid so far around the €20million mark.
Various strikers such as Romelu Lukaku, Jackson Martinez and Mario Mandžukić have been linked with the Madrid side in recent weeks but their goalkeeper Miguel Angel Moya has encouraged the signing of Negredo, enthusing in a recent interview that "On a personal level, among all of them, I can say that he [Negredo] is my preferred choice, the ideal one, especially because I know him. He's Spanish and I like him a lot". The forward affectionately known as 'The Beast' came close to signing for Atlético last summer, agreeing personal terms with the Spanish club, but they were outbid by the less spendthrift Mancunians.
Having already signed Porto midfielder Fernando for £12million, City were not expected to be hugely active in this transfer window but Negredo's potential exit could prompt the signing of another forward to accompany Sergio Agüero, Edin Džeko and Stevan Jovetić. With Manchester United returning to the title chase, Chelsea raking in world-class players from across the world and Liverpool expected to cash in on Luis Suárez, Pellegrini may want an insurance policy up front should Agüero suffer another injury-hit season. A small profit on the forward, who missed out on Spain's World Cup squad following a 16-game goalless streak at the end of the season, would also be a welcome financial boon for a club under close scrutiny from UEFA's new Financial Fair Play (FFP) committee. With City willing to sell and the forward keen to return to Spain, the deal hinges on whether or not Atlético will meet the English Champions' hefty valuation.