Jackson Martinez has confirmed he will be signing for Atletico Madrid from Porto this summer. The 28-year-old had been linked with a transfer to Arsenal and also AC Milan but his agent announced this week that a deal had been agreed with Atletico Madrid.
Los Colchoneros will sign the Colombian to a four-year deal, bringing to an end his three years at Porto - where he has enjoyed the majority of his success in his career.
Martinez confirms the move
Furthermore he sealed with the statement: “I can confirm I am going to Atlético,” after Colombia’s Copa América defeat and elimination last night against Argentina in Chile. “I have had great progression, always learning, always growing and now I’m going to Atlético where I hope to help the team and continue to grow as a player,” Jackson later added.
He will now join as the replacement for Mario Mandžukić, who left Atletico Madrid to join Champions League runners-up Juventus. He departs after only one season at the club, where he played 27 matches and scored 12 times. Nevertheless, he seems like the perfect replacement for the Croatian, given his amazing performances in Portugal, and will join Raul Jimenez and Antoine Griezmann as the club's centre-forward options.
Martinez had a phenomenal record in Portugal
Martinez played for three years in Portugal, as he scored 92 goals in 132 games. During that time, he was a perfect out-and-out goalscorer, a centre-forward who can finish off both feet. He has been Primeira Liga top scorer during all three of his seasons at Porto and won the Portuguese League once in 2013, as well as the Portuguese Super Cup twice in 2012 and 2013.
His club history includes five years at Independiente Medellín and three at Mexican side Chiapas. He also became a Colombian international at the age of 22 and has become a regular feature in his nation's qualification and friendly games, scoring 10 goals in 39 matches for th national team - his last two goals were in the 2014 FIFA World Cup against Japan.