Portugal international Gelson Martins says he has no desire to return to Atletico Madrid next season, as his future remains unsure following a six-month loan spell in France with Monaco.
Rui Almeida will be staying in French football, having swapped Troyes for the managerial position at recently relegated Caen, while Leicester City’s Ricardo Pereira is reportedly attracting the interest of Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain.
Former Sporting forward Gelson signed for Atletico last summer, but struggled to impress Rojiblancos boss Diego Simeone and barely featured during the first half of the season in Spain. A short-term move to Monaco in January under Leonardo Jardim drew instant rewards, with Gelson netting three goals in his first five matches in France.
However, the 24-year-old managed just one goal during the remainder of the season, and an expected permanent move to the French Riviera has so fair failed to materialise. Yet returning to Madrid appears impossible, after Gelson expressed his dissatisfaction with life at Atleti under Argentine coach Simeone.
"I will have to wait and see if I return to Monaco,” he said. "They want me to come back, and I do not want to return to Atletico Madrid."
"I am still the same player that I was last year, that has not changed. But my characteristics do not fit into Simeone's team, as they are very defensive.
"When I signed, Simeone told me that I would play a lot as they look to play a counter attack style, but I was mainly used as a substitute. I am a little disappointed in Simeone."
Gelson will be hoping the clubs find an agreement, with recent reports indicating Monaco will have to part with €30m to make the transfer happen. Also hoping for such developments will be Sporting, who are set to earn €22.5m from the fee based on an agreement with Atletico stemming from the nature of Gelson’s arrival in the Spanish capital.
Rui Almeida and Ricardo Chéu on the move
Rui Almeida has left his job with Troyes in Ligue 2 to take charge of recently relegated Caen. Almeida led Troyes to the play-offs in the French second tier with an outstanding end to the league campaign, losing just once after the turn of the year and notching eight successive wins ahead of a heart-breaking extra-time defeat to Lens last month.
Almeida has signed a two-year contract with Caen, who were relegated from the top flight last term on the final day of the season. The 49-year-old, who speaks six languages, is a long-time assistant of Jesualdo Ferreira, having worked as number two with the veteran Portuguese manager at Panathinaikos, Sporting, Braga and Zamalek. Many will be waging on Caen bouncing straight back up under the guidanace of Almeida, although playing idn poker is another perhaps easier way to make cash online.
Meanwhile, aspiring 38-year-old coach Ricardo Chéu has taken charge of Slovakian Europa League participants Spartak Trnava. The former Penafiel coach has been in Slovakia since January managing more modest outfit Senica, having previously been in Italy’s Serie C with Rieti.
Ricardo, Cancelo in the gossip columns
Ricardo Pereira could be the subject of interest from Paris Saint-Germain according to reports coming from the French capital. The former Porto right-back has enjoyed a sensational first season in England with Leicester City, earning the club’s Fans’ Player of the Year as well as the Players’ Player of the Year awards.
Belgian full-back Thomas Meunier has long been linked with a move out of the Parc des Princes and right-back has become a position of interest for PSG, leading to the speculated approach for Ricardo. Leicester have seen many of their key players linked with moves this summer, including Harry Maguire and James Maddison.
João Cancelo appears certain to be on the move, after Italian outlet Sky Sports claimed incoming Juventus boss Maurizio Sarri named the Portuguese on a six-man list of expendables. Cancelo has been linked with a big-money move to Manchester City, where he would join Seleção colleague Bernardo Silva.
By Sean Gillen