Carrillo: A 'Rojiblanco' Signing That Never Was
André Carrillo, the talented Peruvian midfielder, recently revealed a fascinating episode in his career: his near signing for Atlético de Madrid. Almost a decade ago, the player was one step away from wearing the ‘Rojiblanca’ jersey, with contracts ready and palpable excitement.
However, fate had other plans for him and the club. According to Carrillo, Jackson Martínez’s arrival at the Metropolitano thwarted his transfer, due to the limitations of quotas for non-EU players.
Despite having a community passport today, at that time the departure of a Latin player was crucial to finalize his incorporation into the ‘Colchonero’ team. Carrillo, an international with Peru on more than one hundred occasions, was coming from a successful stage at Sporting de Portugal and was preparing to make the leap to Benfica.
It was precisely during that period when Atlético showed a strong interest in him, but circumstances did not play in his favor. Despite not having finalized his arrival, Carrillo remembers with affection and respect the interest of Atlético de Madrid, a club that has always demonstrated its greatness and ambition in European football. This anecdote reveals the intricacies of the transfer market and how, sometimes, the most solid plans can vanish at the last moment.
