Report: Atletico Madrid waiting for answer on offer for Celta's Augusto Fernandez
Atletico Madrid is reportedly turning to Augusto Fernandez to fill the void left by Tiago's broken leg.
According to Jorge Garcia of AS, Atleti is waiting to hear back from Celta de Vigo on an offer for the Argentine midfielder, who is manager Diego Simeone's "first option to cover the problem" left by Tiago's injury. Celta apparently tried to impede Atleti's desire to sign Fernandez, but Atleti's expected to receive an answer before Dec. 24.
Fernandez is a large reason why Celta finds itself fourth in La Liga, averaging 4.2 tackles and 2.4 interceptions per game while providing the Galician club's backline with a protective shield.
Celta manager Eduardo Berizzo stressed Wednesday his desire for Fernandez to remain at Balaidos, saying, "Anyone would want to join one of the big clubs, but we want him to continue here. Whoever wants him will need to pay what he's worth."
AS also reports that Velez Sarsfield, the club where Fernandez was produced, is keeping a keen eye on the midfielder's situation because a 50-percent stake in his onward sale can help the team's financial woes.