Reading are ‘optimistic’ over a deal for Atlético Madrid youngster Rodrigo Riquelme, but the Spanish side need to finalise a contract extension before letting him go.
Riquelme is one of the hottest properties in Atlético’s youth system, having shone for the club’s B side and in the Youth League.
He has already made his debut for the senior side, and there are great hopes at the club regarding his future but he ‘does not fit’ into Diego Simeone’s plans next season.
Thus, a loan deal away from the club makes sense, and in that regard, Reading have stepped forward to offer him his chance according to Mundo Deportivo.
The youngster has spent the last three weeks on trial with the Championship club, and they have been left impressed, and manager Veljko Paunovic, who is a former Atlético player, ‘has no doubts’ he wants him in his squad this season.
The Royals are ‘delighted’ by what they have seen and the Reading boss recently ‘relayed’ his plans to the player and his agent at the Madejski Stadium Hotel, where the youngster has been staying.
The ‘idea’ is to have him on loan but Atlético ‘do not want to lose track’ of him, particularly as his contract expires next summer.
Therefore they are ‘finalising’ a new deal with the 20-year-old which will see him extend his contract at the Wanda Metropolitano until 2024.
When that is sorted, they will finalise a loan move to Reading, becoming their third signing of the summer after the arrivals of Ovie Ejaria and Josh Laurent.
