Atletico Madrid have secured the signing of Barcelona's Brazilian
midfielder Thiago Motta...
Former Barcelona midfielder Thiago Motta has penned a one year deal
at Atletico Madrid, ending his long-running get-out saga.
The Brazilian midfielder was told at the start of the summer that
he was to look for another club, but clashed publicly with
Barcelona over the terms of his release.
Motta wished to be made a free agent but Barca, clearly seeking to
recoup some of their investment on the player, wished instead to
transfer the Brazilian midfielder directly.
Now, they've done so, with big-spending Atletico Madrid acquiring
the 25 year old for around 2 million euros, the player signing a
one-year deal.
Motta will undergo applicable medical tests today and will be
publicly exhibited by the rojiblanco side on Monday, September 3,
meaning that he's unlikely to play in the weekend clash with
Mallorca at the Vicente Calderon.
The midfielder came to Barcelona in 1999 at the age of 17, spending
two years with the reserves before breaking through to the first
team in 2001.
Since then, he's made over 150 appearances for the blaugrana,
lifting two Liga titles, as well as a Champions League medal.
Motta is Atleti's ninth major signing of the summer.
