Atlético, Sevilla reach agreement for Vitolo

Spanish radio station Onda Cero, through is show “El Transistor,” reported on Monday night that Atlético Madrid and Sevilla have reached an agreement for Víctor Machín - better known as Vitolo - to leave Andalusia and come to Madrid. But the route will take a detour to the Canary Islands, where it is expected the 27-year-old will play until Atlético’s registration ban is lifted.

Sevilla held firm as Atlético tried to negotiate for the star winger and reportedly will end up receiving the €40 million release clause in his contract. However, Atlético will not acquire the Spain international this month; that honor will fall to Las Palmas. The player’s boyhood club will present him on July 13 and he will play at Estadio Gran Canaria from the start of the season. It is believed that Vitolo will buy out his contract using Atleti’s money and sign with Las Palmas as a free agent; a loan move was ruled out last month, when it was revealed that los colchoneros would breach their ban by doing so. It remains unclear how Atleti will engineer Vitolo’s arrival from Las Palmas and subsequent registration.

Sevilla returned to training on Monday as they began preparations for the 2017-18 preseason, but Vitolo stayed behind to continue his holiday on the Canary Islands, thus fueling speculation that a deal with Atlético was close. Atleti have chased Vitolo for nearly a year and is an express request of Diego Simeone, who nearly convinced him to sign last August before Sevilla swooped in to renew his contract.