Carrasco and Gaitán at Atlético Madrid training to bid farewell to their teammates

Diego Simeone has no real need for Nicolas Gaitan but that doesn’t make him any less uncomfortable about the potential of losing players to China. “I am worried because with all the money that goes around, aside from the decision of the players, for the coaches it’s uncomfortable because you think about what can happen,” he said regarding the Chinese Super League’s delayed transfer window closure.

According to reports that surfaced on Sunday night, Nicolas Gaitán will move to Dalian Yifang for €18 million after the arrival of Diego Costa and Vitolo expelled any doubt that he had a future at the Wanda Metropolitano. The Argentine rejected moves away during the winter with reports of interest from the Premier League but it seems he has been convinced by a move to Asia instead.

Yannick Carrasco is also close to a move to China and has been left out of the last two matchday squads against Copenhagen and Sevilla. The transfer window in China shuts on the 28th of February and according to this report in Diario AS, Carrasco and Gaitán were at Atlético’s training ground on Monday to offer their farewells to their teammates.