Atletico Madrid Confirm Signing of Mario Hermoso on 5-Year Deal
Atletico Madrid have completed the signing of defender Mario Hermoso from RCD Espanyol on a five-year deal.
The 24-year-old is a former academy product of neighbourhood rivals Real Madrid, but has been plying his trade at Espanyol for the past two seasons after failing to break through at the Santiago Bernabeu.
He has been courted by Atleti for a number of weeks, and Los Rojiblancos have now confirmed that the deal is done - announcing in a short statement on the club's official website that he has penned a five-year deal.
The statement reads: "Atlético de Madrid and RCD Espanyol have reached an agreement for the transfer of Mario Hermoso to our club. The defender becomes a new Rojiblanco player and signs a contract for the next five seasons."
It has been a hectic summer for Atletico in the transfer market so far, with Hermoso's arrival at the Wanda Metropolitano the ninth summer signing for manager Diego Simeone.
Atleti have snapped up wonderkid Joao Felix from Benfica for €126m, but have also splashed the cash on Marcos Llorente, Felipe, Renan Lodl, Ivan Saponjic - as well as Tottenham right-back Kieran Trippier, whose €22m move sees him become the first Englishman to play for Atletico in 95 years.
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Those incomings have been offset by the mega money sales of Lucas Hernandez and Antoine Griezmann. The French World Cup winning pair have pocketed Atleti €200m this summer, joining Bayern Munich and Barcelona respectively. Midfielder Rodri also left for Manchester City in a deal worth €70m.
In Hermoso, they are getting a player who made 54 La Liga appearances for Espanyol - scoring four goals.
