Manchester United and Chelsea transfer target, Koke, is set to disappoint both Premier League clubs, as the Spaniard insists he is happy to stay put at Atletico Madrid.
In the January transfer window, it was reported that Manchester United had tried to lure him to Old Trafford, but the Red Devils were told the player was not for sale. Instead, Atletico gave him a brand new contract that saw his release clause bumped up to €60m.
Chelsea are also thought to be interested in the player, with the La Liga side reportedly offering the Blues the chance to sign Koke or Diego Costa, in exchange for making Courtois’ loan deal permanent in the summer.
But Koke has insisted that he is happy at the Vicente Calderon and is not looking for a move elsewhere at present.
“I have a long contract and I am not thinking about leaving,” he told Minuto 116
“Atletico is my home. I am happy that [manager, Diego] Simeone has confidence in me and I want to keep working for him for many years.”
However, Spanish newspaper El Confidential reported that the hike in the release clause of Koke is a sign that the player could be sold.
Despite their impressive season and Champions League football, Atletico are still a team in financial need. As we have seen with the cases of Fernando Torres and Sergio Aguero, the improved contracts have earned top players an entry to the foreign clubs at much higher price. It remains to be seen whether or not that will be the case with Koke.