Real Madrid: Theo Hernandez In, Coentrao Out
REUTERS/Sergio Perez
Real Madrid have met the release clause in Atletico’s Theo Hernandez’s contract to complete a rare transfer between the two club.
The highly rated Theo Hernandez will replace the outgoing Fabio Coentrao to be the backup full-back at Real Madrid next season. Having arrived for a significant £27 million from Benfica in 2011, Coentrao is set to depart for a loan spell with Sporting Lisbon in his home country Portugal.
Seen as Marcelo’s long term replacement, Hernandez has signed for Real Madrid in a move that would cost £22.8m to Los Blancos. The transfer has received fair amount of criticism in sections of Madrid press as, historically, the transfers between Atletico and Real are aberrations in otherwise hostile relations.
Atletico Madrid tried their best to keep their academy graduate at the club and not allow him to move to their arch-rivals, but Los Rojiblancos couldn’t do much because of the release clause.
https://twitter.com/realmadrid/status/882660373396062210
The club released a statement, which read: “Theo, who was under contract until 2021, has rejected several times the offers of renewal from Atletico Madrid and the offers of different European clubs to hire his services, as well as stating repeatedly his firm desire to play for Real Madrid.”
The French youngster spent his last season on loan at Alaves, where he started 38 games for the Spanish club. Hernandez was vital in taking his club to Copa Del Rey finals, where they were defeated by Barcelona. The 19-year-old has already developed a reputation of being a young attacking full-back who can both provide and score goals.
Written by Shorya Panwar 
Has 20+ years of experience managing Schalke in Football Manager 2017. Believes wing-backs are the most complete footballers in the modern/evolved football. Writes weird stuff on his personal blog.