Atletico Madrid closing in on signing Sergi Roberto

Sergi Roberto is reportedly set to leave Barcelona as a free agent before joining Atletico Madrid in the summer transfer window.

According to a report by Spanish publication SPORT, Sergi Roberto’s time at Barcelona is on the verge of coming to an end. The 30-year-old will leave the Catalan giants as a free agent, with Atletico Madrid emerging as his next destination. The reigning La Liga champions have already submitted an offer to the Spaniard.

Sergi Roberto has spent his entire professional career with Barcelona and has been an asset for the club with his ability to play different roles in defence and midfield effectively. The Spanish international spent his formative years as a midfielder, but has been moulded into a right-back in recent years.

The 30-year-old has endured a difficult 2021/22 season, with injuries playing spoilsport. As a result, he has managed just 567 minutes of game-time across 12 appearances in all competitions. With his contract running out in a few months, Roberto is poised to leave Barcelona as a free agent. The player’s next destination appears to be Atletico Madrid.

The interest from Atletico Madrid stems from the uncertainty surrounding the future of Sime Vrsaljko. The Croat has been deemed surplus to requirements at the Wanda Metropolitano and will likely leave Los Rojiblancos in the summer transfer window.

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Roberto is thus a target for Atletico Madrid to bolster the right-back slot ahead of the 2022/23 season. The Barcelona utility man could also be an option in midfield, especially with Hector Herrera set to join Houston Dynamo in the summer transfer window.

As for Roberto, the Spanish international is on the verge of leaving Barcelona as a free agent. While the Catalan giants are not opposed to the idea of handing him a new contract, he is unlikely to pen a renewal that will offer him a considerably lower salary. With Atletico Madrid submitting an offer to the 30-year-old, a summer move to the Wanda Metropolitano is on the cards.

Meanwhile, with Barcelona heavily linked with a Bosman move for Noussair Mazraoui, it is unlikely that the Blaugrana will miss him much next season. So after spending his entire career with one club, Roberto is set for a new adventure, with Atletico Madrid his next destination.