Journalist Diederik de Groot was talking about this summer's Atletico Madrid (
Atletico Madrid (soccer team)
), who asked Feyenoord for a move for Hantsko, said that Atletico have always had a bad reputation in the transfer market for privately luring players from other teams with high salaries.
Grout revealed, "I heard that Atletico first promised a player a very high salary, then they let the player's agent do the work, while Atletico made an offer to the opposing club that was far below the market value, and in the end the player had to have a falling out with his original club."
He further stated, "Atletico have had a bad reputation in this regard for many years and they are never willing to pay their fair share. The third bid for Hantsko was around €30 million, but the first two bids were ridiculously low at €15 million and €20 million. Feyenoord should say 'no' to such deals."
This behavior not only damages the relationship of trust between clubs, but also has a negative impact on the players' own careers. Players often have to find themselves in a difficult position between their original and new clubs while facing the temptation of high salaries.
This transfer strategy of Atletico Madrid has sparked widespread concern and controversy. Many insiders believe that clubs should abide by the principle of fair competition and respect the interests of other clubs and players. Feyenoord remains tough on the transfer of Hantsko, firmly rejecting offers below market value.
