The Portugal International has agreed a 5 year contract with the Spanish side
Gelson Martins has joined Atletico Madrid from Sporting CP on a free transfer, signing a 5 year contract with them. He has moved to Spain after deciding to walk out from his parent club, where he has played 140 games.
He has also 19 International caps for Portugal and even featured during this year’s World Cup in Russia.
The Portugal International came through the ranks of the Portuguese club and was promoted to the senior squad in the summer of 2015. He is considered as one of the biggest talents to come out of the club in the past few years.
The 23 year old was a regular for the club last season, scoring 11 goals and assisting 9 in 47 appearances. His consistent performances attracted interest from many big European clubs.
But the winger was one of nine players to rescind their contracts after Sporting’s turbulent end to the 2017-18 season, which descended into chaos after the club’s then president Bruno de Carvalho publicly criticised players on social media following a Europa League defeat to Atletico.
This led a to a group of radical supporters damaging the changing rooms and attacking the players. After this, the Portuguese decided to terminate the contract with the club, despite still having 4 years left.
“Our club is incorporating a pacy right winger who has also been deployed as a second striker and even right-back,” Atletico said in a statement. “His speed and fine dribbling skills make him a valued addition to our team and a threat to the opposition’s defenders.”
Martins is expected to join club’s preseason training alongside others who were at the World Cup but did not make the final stages of the tournament.
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