Fenerbahce Pursues Atletico's Sorloth as Vlahovic Deal Looms
Fenerbahce have moved to the front of the queue for Atletico Madrid striker Alexander Sorloth, with the Turkish giants ready to bankroll a deal that could reshape Diego Simeone’s attack and unlock a move for Dusan Vlahovic.
Spanish reporter Matteo Moretto, via beIN Sports, reports that Fenerbahce are leading the race for the Norwegian, who is tied to Atletico until June 2028 after arriving from Villarreal in August 2024. Atletico value Sorloth at around €40 million (£34m/$46m) and Fenerbahce are understood to have the financial muscle to hit that figure.
No formal offer has landed on Atletico’s desk that fully matches the asking price, but the talks are live. Both clubs are deep in discussions over how to slice up the fee: upfront payment, instalments, performance bonuses, the usual battleground. The structure of the deal now matters almost as much as the headline number.
For Atletico, Sorloth is not just a sale. He is a pillar in a much bigger plan.
Simeone’s side need the money. The income from a Sorloth transfer is expected to help balance the books and, crucially, clear enough room on the wage bill to push through a move for Vlahovic. The Serbian forward is set to become available on a free transfer when his Juventus contract expires at the end of June, and Atletico see him as the next piece in their attacking rebuild.
The pressure finally told on Atletico’s planning once it became clear they could not simply add Vlahovic without moving a big earner on. Sorloth, with a strong market and a clear suitor, became the obvious candidate.
His departure would change the look and feel of Simeone’s frontline. Sorloth offers a towering, physical reference point, a striker who relishes aerial duels and gives Atletico a direct out-ball when the game turns scrappy. Losing that profile strips away one of their more traditional weapons.
Vlahovic, though, brings something different. If Atletico get the deal over the line, they will be adding a forward built on intensity: aggressive pressing, sharp movement, constant running across the line. The attack would shift from a target-man focal point to a more dynamic, high-tempo spearhead.
In Istanbul, the picture is just as clear. Fenerbahce view Sorloth as the man to lead their charge at home and in Europe. He is being lined up as the primary focal point of their attack, the striker to carry the weight of their title push and their continental ambitions.
The stakes are obvious. For Fenerbahce, landing Sorloth would be a statement that they can still outmuscle rivals in the market. For Atletico, signing off on his exit is the key that could finally open the door to Vlahovic and a new attacking era at the Metropolitano.
Right now, the two clubs are locked on the details: how much is guaranteed, how much is tied to goals, appearances, or trophies, and when each slice of the fee is paid. Once that puzzle is solved, Sorloth’s path to Istanbul clears—and with it, Atletico’s route to Vlahovic.
