Mario Hermoso , former defender of Atlético de Madrid, has had an atypical summer. After running out of his contract with the Madrid club in July, Hermoso has spent 48 days without a team. During his time at Atlético de Madrid, Simeone always valued his defensive ability and versatility, which is why the club tried to renew his contract on several occasions. However, Atlético's salary proposals did not convince the Real Madrid youth player, who decided to end his time at the red-and-white team.
Throughout the summer, Hermoso has held talks with clubs in England, Italy and Spain, looking for the right project for his future. Juventus and Villarreal were among the interested teams, but none of these negotiations came to fruition. Hermoso knows that he has many years ahead of him at the highest level, but he is also clear that he is looking for a project that meets his expectations both sportingly and financially.
Al-Ittihad emerges as the main destination for Hermoso
As the days go by, Mario Hermoso's future seems increasingly linked to Saudi Arabia. Specifically, Al-Ittihad has emerged as the most likely destination for the Madrid defender. This team, which already has renowned players such as Karim Benzema in its ranks, has shown great interest in signing Hermoso .
Al-Ittihad see Hermoso as a high-quality reinforcement for their defence, and the fact that he arrives as a free agent makes him an attractive opportunity. In addition, the Saudi club are willing to meet Hermoso 's salary demands, something that European clubs have been unable to match. This is one of the reasons why Saudi Arabia's offer has gained traction in recent weeks.
The change of agency and the new horizon of Mario Hermoso
One of the key moments of Mario Hermoso's summer was his change of agency. After years linked to Gesport Espizua, the defender decided to sign with CAA Base LTD in August, an agency with great connections in the European market. His new agent, Dario Ristori, has quickly moved negotiations with several clubs. Although talks with teams such as Manchester United and Inter Milan were intense, none of them came to fruition due to the high demands of the centre-back.
This change in strategy has further boosted the Saudi Arabia option. While European clubs struggled to fit Hermoso's demands into their salary caps, Al-Ittihad have had no problems meeting the player's expectations. This ease of reaching an economic agreement has tipped the balance in favour of the Saudi team, which is now emerging as the next destination for Simeone's former player.
The signing of Mario Hermoso for Al-Ittihad seems to be getting closer to completion. If confirmed, Hermoso will join a league that has attracted several European stars in recent years. For Al-Ittihad, he would be a high-calibre signing in their quest to continue strengthening their squad with top-level players.