Valencia Close to Completing €15m Signing of Atletico Madrid Forward Kevin Gameiro

Spanish media are reporting that Valencia are on the verge of completing a deal for Atletico Madrid forward Kevin Gameiro after agreeing a €15m fee for the player.

According to El Confidencial (via Football Espana), the French striker is set to be the first of several players Atletico look to move on this summer, with the club needing to balance their chequebook following the signings of Rodri and Thomas Lemar which have already been confirmed by the club this summer.

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Gameiro, 31, joined Atletico from Sevilla in the summer of 2016 but has failed to make an impression in Diego Simeone's side and has laregely been kept out of the team by the likes of Antoine Griezmann and Diego Costa.

The French international has produced a reasonably strong scoring record in the Spanish capital, averaging just over a goal every three matches. However, Gameiro has found himself receiving increasingly little playing time and made just 11 starts in La Liga last season.

Gameiro would be the second striker to leave Atletico this summer after club legend Fernando Torres announced the end of his second spell with the club. However, Griezmann recently announced he would be staying with Atletico despite reported interest from Barcelona, meaning the club are unlikely to be left short of attacking firepower next season.

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Meanwhile, defenders Stefan Savic and Sime Vrsaljko could be set to follow Gameiro out the exit door, with manager Simeone reportedly deeming both players surplus to requirements.

Valencia have seen an upturn in their fortunes since the appointment of Marcelino as manager and the club finished 4th in La Liga last season. The club will be hoping that the capture of Gameiro can help them consolidate their status as a Champions League side next season.