Marseille play maker Mathieu Valbuena, who is tipped to leave the club in the summer, has revealed his desire to play at the Vicente Calderon because of his Spanish origins.
The 29-year-old French international has been at the Stade Vélodrome since 2006 after completing a move from minnows Libourne.
Valbeuna is under contract till 2017 but speculations are rife about his future, with Premier League giants Arsenal and Liverpool are thought to be interested in the player, who is deemed surplus to requirements at Marseille.
“There was Schalke, Zenit, great clubs,” he told beIn Sport in an interview.
“But I really like Atletico Madrid because it is a Spanish club and I have Spanish origins, but also because they play well.
“This was an interesting lead but it didn’t go all the way.”
Despite his desire to play in the Spanish League, Arsenal or Liverpool could also be an attractive destination for the £10 million-rated French star.
Liverpool are favourites to finish in top four this season and the Reds will need to invest heavily on the squad to compete in other tournaments, especially in the Champions League. A player of Valbuena’s quality and experience would come handy, should he be available for cheap.
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