Atletico Madrid Accelerates Move for Defender Jorge Salinas
Atletico Madrid are accelerating their move for Racing Santander defender Jorge Salinas as they try to steal a march on Manchester United’s growing interest in the teenager.
United identified the 19-year-old left-back months ago and have tracked him closely ever since his standout season with Racing, who clinched promotion to LaLiga. Their scouts followed him through the campaign in Spain, then doubled down this summer.
Salinas spent three weeks with Spain at the European Under-19 Championship in Wales, where United staff were in the stands throughout the tournament. He didn’t disappoint. The young full-back played a central role in Spain’s run to the trophy, backing up the glowing reports already filed on him at Old Trafford.
That body of work has pushed United towards a decision: whether to move decisively and meet his €16million (£13.7m / $18.6m) release clause.
That figure only recently jumped. Racing’s promotion triggered a significant rise in the buyout fee, a hike that cooled earlier interest from Barcelona, who had considered Salinas as a long-term project before stepping away when the clause doubled.
Atletico change the script
Atletico Madrid see something different.
Rather than treating Salinas as one for later, the Madrid club want him in their first-team squad now and have ramped up negotiations over the past month, particularly after sanctioning Matteo Ruggeri’s departure to Aston Villa.
Sources indicate Atletico know United have already spoken to both Racing and the player’s camp. The sense that the Premier League side could formalise their interest at any moment has sharpened Atletico’s stance and pushed them to act with urgency.
The strategy is clear: get in front, get it done, and close the door before United decide to pull the trigger on the clause.
United weigh their options at left-back
At Old Trafford, Salinas is one name in a broader left-back reshuffle.
Lewis Hall of Newcastle remains United’s preferred option, and they are actively trying to prise him away from St James’ Park. Newcastle, though, are digging in and have shown no willingness to sell, forcing United to keep alternatives warm.
That’s where Salinas has moved up the list. Young, relatively affordable, and already proving himself in high-stakes matches, he has become an increasingly appealing Plan B.
United also have RB Leipzig’s David Raum on their shortlist, while Club Brugge’s Joaquin Seys has been scouted. Belgian sources, however, are adamant Seys will not be leaving this summer, narrowing the field.
So the race tightens.
Atletico are pushing to move first, aiming to lock down Salinas as a first-team piece. United, still assessing whether to activate the €16million clause, risk watching another promising full-back slip into LaLiga if they hesitate for too long.
