Leicester City have withdrawn their interest in striker Alisson after Atlético Mineiro took too long to respond to their offer.
That’s according to the player’s agents, via journalist Andre Hernan, who have hit out at the Brazilian club today.
UOL reported earlier today that Leicester had made an offer for Alisson and were in a hurry to get a deal for him over the line.
They stated that Leicester had entered the race for the Atlético forward and made an offer worth €13m for him. They were trying to hurry the transfer along given the window closes on Monday evening.
They explained that Alisson had found himself the target of several clubs this month, including in the Middle Easy. The 19-year-old managed three goals and one assist in 35 games for the Brazilian side last year.
He has a contract until December 2027 with Atlético that includes a €60m release clause, so Leicester’s offer was far below that.
Now, it seems, the Foxes have pulled out of the proposal altogether as Atlético’s slow response to the offer has made them believe that they cannot get a deal done.
That’s according to the player’s agency, Velop4 Sports Limited, who have released a statement on the matter.
“The staff of the athlete Alisson Santana hereby clarifies the events involving the official proposal made by Leicester City, from England to Clube Atlético Mineiro, which was disclosed by the press this Friday,” it reads.
“The offer represented a unique opportunity for Alisson Santana to directly enter the Premier League.
“At 19 years of age, the direct transfer from Brazil to the elite of English football would be a significant achievement, not only for the player, but also for Atlético, which, in addition to receiving a considerable amount compatible with the market at this time, would also keep a percentage of the athlete’s economic rights for future negotiations.
“However, it is important to clarify that Leicester City’s withdrawal was due to Atlético Mineiro’s delay in responding to the proposal. When the club finally made a statement in the negotiations, Leicester understood that there was no more time to make the transfer possible. In view of this, the English club decided to withdraw the offer and end the negotiations.
“The situation becomes even more worrying when one observes that, to date, there is no clear development project for Alisson within Atlético itself.
“Thus, in addition to losing an extremely advantageous negotiation opportunity, the club also fails to provide its greatest asset – a phrase repeated by the board on numerous occasions – with a highly relevant showcase for its value, considering the club’s maintenance of the percentage in the transfer.”
