Barcelona transfer news: Atletico Madrid lining up 'formal offer' for Blaugrana midfielder

Atletico Madrid are reportedly preparing an offer for Barcelona midfielder Marc Casado, with Diego Simeone's side confident that they will be able to secure a deal for the Spaniard.

Casado made 36 appearances for Barcelona during the 2024-25 campaign, but he struggled for action in the latter stages of the season after recovering from a knee injury.

Barcelona are well-stocked in midfield, particularly with highly-rated youngster Marc Bernal now back from a long-term knee injury, and it is expected that a player in that area of the field will leave during the summer market.

Casado's future has been the subject of much speculation of late, with Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United all believed to be interested in bringing him to the Premier League.

According to El Nacional, Atletico are also firmly in the race, with the Red and Whites currently preparing to make a formal offer for the 21-year-old, who has been with Barcelona for the last eight years.

Barcelona midfielder Casado 'firmly on Atletico's radar'

Casado said earlier this year that he wants to spend the remainder of his career at Barcelona.

"I hope so. I want to spend my entire career at Barcelona and retire here. It's my dream, it's the club I love," Casado told Beteve. "I hope so. As I said, my goal is to stay here as long as possible and finish my career at Barcelona."

However, it is understood that the midfielder is wary of not featuring on a regular basis in the season before a World Cup, and he is determined to secure a spot in the Spain squad for next summer's competition.

As a result, a switch to another major club is believed to be possible during the current window, and Atletico would be able to offer him top-level European action and the chance to challenge for the biggest of trophies.

How much would Casado cost this summer?

Casado has a contract with Barcelona until the summer of 2028, placing the Catalan outfit in a strong position when it comes to negotiations, and the midfielder is certainly not short of interest.

However, the fact that Barcelona want to shift a midfielder during the current window does weaken their hand slightly, and Casado has not had enough matches to move for a huge figure this summer.

An offer in the region of €45m (£39m) would likely be accepted by Barcelona, and it would provide the Catalan team with a huge financial boost, potentially allowing them to enter the market to make one more signing this summer.