Atletico Madrid in advanced negotiations for signing Nico Gaitan

The Atletico Madrid is maintaining open and advanced negotiations with Benfica for the signing of Argentinean Nico Gaitan, according to sources close to the operation. The negotiations are still ongoing and the club has shown interest in the midfielder in the last two seasons.

"I heard at noon that this was my last game with Benfica," the player announced after the final of the League Cup against Maritimo, which was played yesterday and won by his team. He bid farewell to his club with tears, without yet speaking about his next destination, which, unless there is a change and as the negotiations progress, will be Atletico Madrid.

The negotiations are already advanced with both Benfica and the player. Gaitan has already shown his willingness to play for Atletico Madrid, just as the Portuguese club has done in talking with Atletico, although the Madrid club admits interest and conversations, but they are not yet closed. The Portuguese press, on the other hand, assumes that the transfer will be worth 25 million euros.

Atletico is now focused on the Champions League final and the contract renewals of their players to give the project more stability. Following the announcement this week of contract extensions for Saul Niguez until 2021 and Tiago Mendes until 2017, Fernando Torres, Gabi Fernandez, and Antoine Griezmann will also renew their contracts.

Afterward, the team will address their needs for reinforcement, including a winger, for which they are already working on a profile and a name: Gaitan. He has been Atletico and Diego Simeone's desire for the past two seasons, although Benfica's financial demands frustrated his signing then.

Now, his arrival is closer. The provisional suspension of the FIFA ban of two transfer windows, while waiting for the Appeals Committee to issue a positive or negative resolution on the appeal filed by Atletico, also allows the Madrid club to register players from July 1st when the registration period opens.

If FIFA confirms the ban, Atletico has the option to appeal and request the provisional suspension to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), based in Lausanne. Therefore, Atletico, beyond what the Appeals Committee decides, could potentially register players during this summer.

Nico Gaitan, an Argentinean international and called up for the Copa America Centenario to be held next month in the United States, has played the last six seasons at Benfica. He renewed his contract last season and has played 252 official matches, scoring 40 goals and providing 86 assists.

During this time, the player, who will join his national team's call-up for the Copa America on Monday, has won a dozen titles (three leagues, five league cups, one cup and one super cup, all from Portugal) and has played 41 Champions League matches, scoring six goals, one of them this season against Atletico Madrid in the Vicente Calderon stadium.