Jackson Martinez finally confirmed his move to Atletico Madrid after Colombia’s Copa America loss against Argentina, bringing an end to transfer speculation and rumours linking him with Arsenal.

AS‘ Nicholas Rigg shared comments from his agent indicating the striker’s move to Spain was all but official just days ago, and per Metro‘s Lee Thomas-Mason, the player himself has now confirmed the transfer, saying: “I can confirm I am going to Atletico. I am going there for four years but I still do not know when I will be introduced.”

Atletico have yet to officially confirm the move, and while normally that would seem like a formality, the past few weeks have shown us that with Martinez, nothing is. The 28-year-old seemed certain to sign for AC Milan earlier this month, to the point Milan Channel, the club’s official TV station, had already welcomed the striker, via ESPN FC’s Julian De Martinis.

FC Porto even officially announced Martinez had signed for the Rossoneri, per Metro‘s Lee Hurley, before the striker suddenly turned his attention toward Atleti. La Liga blogger Sergi Dominguez noted that has become a common theme for Milan this summer:

Clearly, Martinez can’t be officially confirmed as the latest player of his new team until we see a picture of him holding up his new jersey with a signed contract on the table. His flip-flopping in the past few weeks has been ridiculous, as per football writer Kristian Sturt, Atletico is the third team he’s now courting―he originally wanted to join the Gunners:

Atletico will pay Martinez’s release clause―€35 million, per Thomas-Mason―to bring the Colombian to the Spanish capital, where he’ll serve as Mario Mandzukic’s replacement after the latter was sold to Juventus.

The prolific scorer has enjoyed much success in the Portuguese league, and while he hasn’t always looked convincing in the Champions League, his scoring form never deserted him, with seven goals in seven matches last year, per WhoScored.com.

He has an incredible nose for goal and is quite agile for his size, although he’ll never be mistaken for Theo Walcott. His playing style in and near the box is tailor-made for Atletico, and while there are question marks regarding his ability to continue his scoring in a tougher league, he’s well worth the €35 million fee.

The Gunners have been linked with Martinez for a long time, but following the news he was set to sign for Milan, the fans have already accepted the fact he won’t be moving to the Emirates. Knowing he turned on his commitment to Milan to complete a move to Atletico may sting a bit―he could have done the same for Arsenal―but in reality, it hardly matters.

And who knows, maybe the Colombian is fickle enough to break his latest commitment, turining this particular saga into the most bizarre of the summer.

 

Martin Montoya Set for Inter Milan Move

Barcelona’s Martin Montoya is close to completing a two-year loan move to Inter Milan, and the Nerazzurri will hold the option to make the move permanent for just €8 million, according to Sport‘s Samuel Marsden.

The 24-year-old right-back was also linked with Arsenal and Liverpool, according to the Daily Express‘ Uche Amako, but it appears Inter have won the race for his signature. The Nerazzurri have enjoyed a fantastic summer so far, via BT Sport’s James Horncastle, and the Montoya-signing would be the latest addition to a promising core of players:

Montoya was once regarded as the next star to emerge from La Masia, Barcelona’s famed youth academy, but after a promising start to his senior career, he was forced to play second fiddle to Dani Alves, the Catalans’ longtime starter at the right-back position.

Alves signed a new deal at the end of the 2014-15 season, but even before the Brazilian veteran put pen to paper, it was clear Montoya would leave the club. Now aged 24, he needs a change of scenery in order to jump-start his career and prove he can be a top defender.

Montoya is a promising prospect, and while most pundits assumed he wouldn’t be an expensive signing in the summer of 2015 due to his lack of playing time with the Blaugrana, it’s remarkable the club seems willing to ship him out on loan, rather than cash in now.

If it’s really that easy to sign him, you have to wonder why more clubs haven’t sent Barcelona a better offer. Montoya offers plenty of upside for a minimal investment―a transfer would pose few risks and could potentially yield substantial rewards.

Inter’s fantastic summer continues with yet another great value signing, and while the Nerazzurri won’t be playing in Europe during the 2015-16 campaign, the club seems more than ready to make a run at a top-three finish in Serie A and a trip to the Champions League next year.

 

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