Report: Gaitán playing for his future at Atletico Madrid

Nico Gaitán needs to pick it up a gear, or two, heading into the final two months of the season or face a swift exit from the club, according to a report on AS.com.

The Argentine winger signed from Benfica in the summer and was a target for Diego Simeone for a long time before he landed him for a fee in the region of €25 million from the Portuguese side. Atletico are keen to bring in three signings in the summer if they can overturn their transfer ban and will need to get Gaitán off the wage bill and throw whatever money they can get for him into the kitty too as they eye Alexandre Lacazette along with other rumoured targets.

He has played in 29 games for the rojiblancos this season and scored four goals, with three assists. The 29-year-old has seen himself fall down the pecking order, however, with Simeone opting for a midfield three of Koke, Saul and Gabi with Griezmann Carrasco and Gameiro as his preferred attacking trio. He has played ninety minutes just three times in the league this season and his return of three goals was never going to satisfy a team looking to be competitive in LaLiga and reach the latter stages of the Champions League.

According to the report in AS, Atletico could be willing to listen to any offer for the player who was linked with Manchester United along with some other European heavyweights for a long time before making the move to the Vicente Calderon.