Fenerbahce Pursues Sorloth as Atletico Targets Vlahovic
Fenerbahce have moved to the front of the queue for Alexander Sorloth, with the Turkish giants now leading the race to prise the striker away from Atletico Madrid, according to Marca’s Matteo Moretto, as cited by beIN Sports.
Sorloth is tied to Atletico until June 2028 after his move from Villarreal in August 2024, but that contract is already under strain. Atletico have set a €40m (£34m/$46m) price tag, and Fenerbahce are understood to have the financial muscle to hit that figure.
This is not just a routine sale. It is the key that unlocks Atletico’s entire summer plan.
Sorloth out, Vlahovic in
Inside the Metropolitano, Sorloth’s potential departure is viewed as central to the club’s transfer strategy. The money raised is expected to help balance the books and, crucially, open up the wage bill to bring in Dusan Vlahovic.
Talks are active, even if the decisive step has not yet arrived. No formal offer matching Atletico’s full valuation has been lodged, but negotiations over a deal are ongoing between the clubs, with the framework of a move to Istanbul on the table.
For Diego Simeone, losing Sorloth would mean ripping out a very specific piece of his attack. The Norwegian gives Atletico a towering, physical reference point, a striker who relishes aerial duels and pins centre-backs in their own box. His profile shapes how Atletico build attacks, how they escape pressure, how they play when games become chaotic.
Vlahovic would change that picture. The Serbia international, available on a free transfer after the expiry of his Juventus contract in late June, offers a different kind of threat: a more explosive, high-intensity presence across the front line, less about sheer size and more about sharp movements and aggressive pressing. The trade-off is clear, and Atletico are ready to make it — if the Sorloth money comes in.
Fenerbahce’s statement move
On the other side of the deal, Fenerbahce see opportunity. Sorloth is being lined up as the spearhead for their domestic and European ambitions, the focal point around which they can build a side capable of bullying opponents in the Super Lig and holding its own on continental nights.
Talks have advanced to the structure of the transfer. Both clubs are now working through how the €40m fee will be paid, the instalments, and the performance-related add-ons that could push the total higher. Those details will decide how quickly the move is signed off and when Sorloth can be unveiled in Istanbul.
Once that happens, the dominoes fall. Completing Sorloth’s switch to Fenerbahce is expected to act as the trigger for Atletico to finally close the Vlahovic deal and reshape Simeone’s forward line for the new season.
