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Atletico Madrid have completed the signing of Almeria full-back Marc Pubill after failing in their bid to land Jesús Areso, who opted to join Athletic Bilbao instead.
Despite earlier reports suggesting Atletico had reached an agreement with Osasuna for Areso, the 26-year-old right-back returned to Athletic Bilbao—the club where he previously played at the youth and reserve level.
The Basque outfit confirmed the deal on Tuesday, stating that Areso has signed a contract running until June 30, 2031. According to Spanish media, Athletic will pay up to €12 million (£10.1 million) for the defender.
Shortly after the news of Areso’s move, Atletico responded by confirming they had agreed to terms with Almeria to sign Pubill.
The 22-year-old is expected to finalise the move after undergoing a medical and signing his contract. Although Atletico did not disclose the transfer fee, Pubill had recently been linked with a potential £13 million move to Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Athletic Bilbao, who secured a fourth-place finish in La Liga last season, have been active in retaining key talent this summer. They recently fended off interest from Barcelona to keep hold of promising winger Nico Williams.
