Fenerbahce Target Sorloth as Atletico Eyes Vlahovic

Fenerbahce have moved to the front of the queue for Atletico Madrid striker Alexander Sorloth, with the Turkish giants now leading the race to prise the Norwegian away from the Metropolitano.

According to Marca journalist Matteo Moretto, as cited by beIN Sports, Fenerbahce are in position and, crucially, have the financial muscle to meet Atletico’s €40 million (£34m/$46m) valuation. Sorloth is under contract with the Spanish club until June 2028 after his move from Villarreal in August 2024, but his future is rapidly becoming the hinge on which Atletico’s summer plans turn.

A sale that shapes Atletico’s summer

Inside Atletico, Sorloth’s potential departure is not just another outgoing. It is the deal.

The Rojiblancos see the striker’s sale as essential to balancing the books and, just as importantly, freeing up enough wage space to push through a move for Dusan Vlahovic. The Serbian forward is available on a free transfer following the expiry of his Juventus contract in late June, and Atletico view him as the headline addition to refresh Diego Simeone’s attack.

For now, no club has formally lodged a bid that hits Atletico’s full asking price, but talks with Fenerbahce are active and ongoing. The framework is clear: a fee around €40m, plus a structure that works for both sides.

The pressure is on. Once Sorloth goes, the path to Vlahovic opens.

From battering ram to relentless runner

Sorloth’s exit would change the shape and feel of Simeone’s forward line.

The Norwegian offers a classic focal point: tall, powerful, dominant in the air, a target who pins centre-backs and gives Atletico a direct outlet when games turn into a fight. Losing that profile strips Simeone of a physically imposing reference point around which he can build more pragmatic game plans.

Vlahovic, if and when he arrives, brings something different. Not a like-for-like replacement, but a striker whose game is built on intensity, movement and aggression without the ball. His arrival would inject a sharper, more dynamic edge into the frontline, with Atletico betting on a high-energy spearhead rather than a pure aerial presence.

The trade-off is clear: less brute force, more constant motion.

Fenerbahce’s statement move

For Fenerbahce, this is about more than numbers on a balance sheet. It is about intent.

Sorloth has been identified as the man to lead their line, the primary reference point around which they can build both domestically and in Europe. A striker of his stature, at the peak of his career, would be a statement signing for a club determined to turn ambition into trophies.

The Turkish side are now locked in discussions with Atletico over the payment structure and performance-related add-ons that will shape the final agreement. The headline figure is one thing; how and when it is paid is another.

Those details are now the battleground.

If the two clubs can close that gap and push the deal over the line, Sorloth will be on his way to Istanbul — and Atletico will finally have the green light to complete the process of bringing Vlahovic to the Metropolitano.