Atletico drops interest in Theo Hernandez transfer. The reason revealed

Atletico are close to signing Matteo Ruggeri from Atalanta—the 22-year-old Italian is set to take over as the club’s starting left-back. However, he was not Madrid's top target initially: the main priorities were Theo Hernandez and Andy Robertson.

Theo Hernandez topped Atletico’s shortlist, but in the end, the club decided against pursuing his return. According to Marca, one of the key reasons for abandoning the deal was the negative reaction from Atletico’s fans.

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Theo Hernandez is a product of Atletico’s academy, but in 2017 he made headlines by leaving the Rojiblancos for their fierce rivals, Real Madrid. The move sparked outrage among supporters at the time, and even now, many remain strongly opposed to his return.