Atletico Madrid mock Manchester United with cheeky tweet after ‘rejecting huge €130m bid for Joao Felix’
Following rumours that Manchester United had a large deal rejected for Portuguese sensation Joao Felix, Atletico Madrid appear to have teased the Premier League club with a humorous tweet.
AS, a Spanish news organization, claims United made a €130 million (£110 million) bid for the 22-year-old, which Atletico quickly rejected.
Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone is said to see Felix as the team’s most essential player.
As a result, Atletico will not sell the Portugal international, who has a €350 million (£295 million) release clause in his contract at the Metropolitano Stadium.
Following news of United’s unsuccessful bid, Atletico Madrid’s English Twitter account shared a photo of Felix with the phrase “Priceless.”
The tweet was positively received by fans of both the Spanish club and United’s Premier League rivals.
“Lol, rubbing salt in United’s wounds,” one Twitter user said.
“Oh, you know EXACTLY what you’re doing there, admin,” said another.
Another wrote, “Bodied United.”
Felix has four years left on his Atletico Madrid deal and is thought to be content at the club.
He originally joined Atletico in 2019, becoming the club’s fourth-most expensive player in history in a club-record €126 million (£106 million) deal from Benfica.
Felix has struggled to live up to his high price tag, scoring only 29 goals in 112 games for the club, but he was part of the team that won La Liga under Simeone in 2020-21.
According to AS, United chose to sign the forward after being impressed by his performance in Atletico Madrid’s preseason triumph over the Red Devils last month.
Felix scored the only goal of the game, giving Simeone’s team a 1-0 victory in Oslo, Norway.
Cristiano Ronaldo, 37, might be on his way to Spain as part of any potential trade for Felix.
According to the Independent, Atletico Madrid are still interested in signing the former Real Madrid player, despite facing a reaction from fans over the mooted deal.
Sporting Lisbon, Ronaldo’s boyhood club, have also offered to sign the veteran striker on a free transfer if United agree to let him depart this summer.
