Arsenal

Huge Blow As David Villa Opts For £4.4m Atletico Madrid Move

Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham have been dealt a huge blow with the news that David Villa has agreed to join Atletico Madrid from Barcelona in a £4.4m deal.

by
Transfer News Reporter
July 8, 2013

With the summer transfer window now open, there is plenty of gossip doing the rounds in the newspapers so we’ll keep you up-to-date with the latest transfer rumours. Today, David Villa turns his back on a switch to the Premier League.

A whole host of Premier League clubs have been dealt a blow with the news that David Villa has turned his back on a switch to England after agreeing to join Atletico Madrid in a £4.4m deal, according to the Independent.

The Spanish hitman has decided to leave Barcelona after three trophy-laden years because he failed to force his way back into Tito Vilanova’s starting eleven last season after making his comeback from a broken leg. The signing of Brazilian sensation Neymar was only going to make his job even more difficult, so he’s chosen to leave the Nou Camp in search of regular playing time.

The 31-year-old has been strongly linked with a move to England in recent months. Spanish newspaper Sport claimed just last week that Tottenham were leading the race with Arsenal and Liverpool also thought to have made contact with the strikers representatives to register their interest.

However, Villa has decided to snub a switch to the Premiership in favour of staying in La Liga with the Independent confirming that Atletico Madrid have struck a deal with Barca that will see them pay just €2.1m up front, a further €2m if Villa continues to play in the 2014/15 season and another €1m if he extends his contract until 2016.

It seems like an excellent piece of business by Madrid and Villa will now complete his move to the Vicente Calderón Stadium where he will replace Radamel Falcao – who left to join Monaco earlier in the summer.

It’s a huge blow to the Premier League clubs, particularly for Spurs with the report suggesting Villa was Andre Villas-Boas’s top striking target this summer, but the north Londoners are now expected to turn their attention to other targets including Leandro Damiao, Christian Benteke and Roberto Soldado.

Are you disappointed that your club missed out on Villa? Or are there better targets available? Share your view in the comments section below.