David Hancko finally leaves Feyenoord for Atletico Madrid after failed Saudi move
Feyenoord defender David Hancko finally completed his departure from Feyenoord on Wednesday. The Slovakian defender was set to join the Saudi Arabian team AI Nassr on two occasions, but both deals fell through. He has now completed a transfer to the Spanish team, Atletico Madrid. According to reports, Atletico will pay a total of 30-34 million euros for Hancko.
It comes days after Hancko’s second proposed transfer to AI Nassr had collapsed in bizarre fashion. The defender and Feyenoord were under the impression that the deal had been completed, and therefore, Hancko had traveled to Austria to join AI Nassr’s squad at the training camp. However, upon arrival, it turned out that he was not welcome at the camp, just days after agreeing on personal terms with the club.
Hancko has now signed a four-year contract with Atletico. The Spanish team is managed by Diego Simeone, a legend at the club who has led his team to two La Liga titles in the last decade, ahead of the two giants, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Atletico finished in third place in La Liga last season, meaning that they will play in the UEFA Champions League this season. Hancko is the first Slovakian player to ever play for Atletico.
It looks like it will not be the last sale for Feyenoord. The club has had a busy summer, signing last season’s top scorer of the Eredivisie, Sem Steijn, from FC Twente, as well as Gonzalo Borges and Tsuyoshi Watanabe, from FC Porto and KAA Gent, respectively.
But the club has also lost several first-team players. In addition to Hancko, Antoni Milambo and Quilindschy Hartman also left the club, joining English sides Brentford and Burnley. And now, the team’s Brazilian winger, Igor Paixao, may also be on the way to the Premier League. Newly promoted side Leeds United have reportedly made a bid worth 30 million euros for Paixao.
Paixao has also been the subject of interest from the French team Olympique Marseille, but the Ligue 1 team has been struggling to reach an agreement on the deal.
