Arsenal are allegedly in talks to sign José Giménez from Atletico Madrid although it seems like a futile approach if true.
When I first started researching this story, I did a comprehensive search of 127 of the main foreign papers and website. Not a single one mentioned José Giménez in any piece. When it did start to appear, the Daily Mail were their source.
Am told Arsenal trying to negotiate with Atletico Madrid for defender Jose Gimenez. Atleti demanding €45m. Talks go on. More @MailSport #afc
— Adam Crafton (@AdamCrafton_) August 17, 2016
The Mail claims that Giménez would be open to a move to the Premier League and that Arsenal are ‘continuing’ negotiations with his club who want a transfer fee in the region of €45m, or, as we like to call that sort of price around here, just short of 1 Mesut Ozil.
For a centre back.
It seems unlikely that Arsenal would be able to stop laughing enough at that price tag to continue negotiating anything other than their exit from the phonecall.
I then reached out to some Atletico Madrid experts, and while I wait for them to check things at their end with the club, they told me that it was highly unlikely that the Spaniards would even entertain selling a player loaded with potential whom they hold in high regard.
A nice story, but that’s all it seems to be. Will update when we hear back from the Atletico people.