The tug of war over Santiago Arias is in full swing. Bayer Leverkusen is emphatically in the market for Santiago Arias, although it is still the question whether the Colombian right back will leave for the club of trainer Peter Bosz. According to Andrea Berta, technical director of Atlético, the Germans are certainly not in pole position when it comes to attracting the former PSV player.

“We are talking with AS Roma, Everton and Paris Saint-Germain, but not with Bayer Leverkusen”, Berta said in the Spanish media. However, the Atlético director does not rule out an interim departure of Arias from the Wanda Metropolitano. “A rental deal with a mandatory purchase option after ten games played is an option.” According to ASH the purchase option would be between ten and twelve million euros. Atlético would rather sell Arias directly for seven million euros, it sounds in the Spanish media.

The reporting of Kicker and BILD is again at odds with Berta’s statements. According to the German newspapers, Bayer Leverkusen has good papers to bring Arias to Germany in the final phase of the transfer period. Arias, with a contract until 2023 los Colchoneros, Kieran Trippier and Sime Vrsaljko have to tolerate the selection of trainer Diego Simeone. An early departure therefore seems to be the best solution for all parties.

Arias has long been associated with a departure from the Spanish club. In recent names, Napoli, Internazionale, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Newcastle United, among others, have passed through the rumor circuit. However, a final deal has not materialized so far. The fullback has been playing for Atlético since mid-2018, which at the time transferred eleven million euros to PSV.