Real Madrid-Atlético war over Iker Bravo intensifies

This summer, the non-aggression pact between Real Madrid and Atlético to not steal players from their respective academies was broken, but market forces have always been present for the two capital clubs. The latest battle is for Iker Bravo, the most promising forward of the 2005 generation. The 17-year-old wants to leave Bayer Leverkusen and as AS has learned, the German club’s idea is to sell him to the highest bidder...

Atleti fall behind in the race for Bravo

Atlético started out the best positioned to sign the teenager but now Real Madrid have taken the lead. The young forward is a product of Barcelona’s youth academy but the Catalans allowed him to leave for Germany last summer. He is more attracted to Real Madrid’s proposal, which is better both economically and sportingly. If a deal is accepted, he would join Raúl’s Castilla - an opportunity that the Rojiblancos cannot match.

Ant deal however, will depend on whether the offer satisfies Bayer Leverkusen. The alternative to straight cash right now would be to acquire only a percentage of the player, an option which Madrid are against. Another would be to include bonuses for performances with the first team and the national team. Not an insurmountable scenario. It looks like Iker will soon be returning home to Spain, and may well be heading to Valdebebas.