Atletico Madrid Accelerate Move for Jorge Salinas Amid Manchester United Interest

Atletico Madrid are accelerating their move for Racing Santander’s highly rated left-back Jorge Salinas as they try to steal a march on Manchester United’s growing interest in the teenager.

United identified Salinas earlier in the summer, stepping up their tracking of the 19-year-old after a standout season with Racing, who clinched promotion to LaLiga. Scouts from Old Trafford followed him closely throughout the campaign and then again at the European Under-19 Championship in Wales, where he spent three weeks with Spain.

Those extra looks only hardened United’s view. Salinas played a central role in Spain’s run to the title, backing up the positive reports already on file and confirming his status as one of the most promising young full-backs in Europe.

Now comes the decision point.

Salinas is available for his €16million (£13.7m / $18.6m) release clause, a figure that shot up after Racing’s promotion.

Barcelona had previously explored the idea of bringing him in as a long-term project, but backed away once his buyout doubled.

Atletico pushing to get there first

Atletico see something different. They are not treating Salinas as a slow-burn prospect but as a player ready to compete for a first-team place.

The Madrid club have ramped up talks over the past month, a push that gathered pace after Matteo Ruggeri was allowed to join Aston Villa. The gap on the left has sharpened Atletico’s focus, and they are now working to close a deal before the window opens up for others.

Sources indicate Atletico are fully aware that United have already spoken to both Racing and Salinas’ camp. That knowledge has set alarm bells ringing at the Metropolitano, with concern that a formal bid from the Premier League side could quickly change the landscape.

So Atletico have gone on the offensive, trying to get ahead of the competition and lock the player down before United decide to act.

United weighing up left-back options

For United, Salinas is a serious option, but not the only one. The club are still defining their left-back plans.

Lewis Hall of Newcastle remains their preferred target, and United are actively trying to find a way to make that transfer happen. Newcastle, though, are standing firm and have shown no willingness to sell, forcing United to keep alternative routes open.

That is where Salinas has moved sharply up the list. His age, ceiling and fixed-price clause make him an increasingly appealing solution if the Hall pursuit stalls.

United also have RB Leipzig’s David Raum under consideration, while Club Brugge’s Joaquin Seys has been watched and assessed. Any move for Seys is effectively blocked, with Belgian sources adamant he will not be allowed to leave this summer.

So the race narrows.

Salinas now sits at the centre of a developing tug-of-war: Atletico pushing to move first and integrate him straight into Diego Simeone’s squad, United still weighing whether to pull the trigger on that €16million clause.

Who blinks first may decide where one of Spain’s most coveted young defenders lines up next season.