Juventus’ Nicolas Gonzalez Says “I Don’t Want to Let Go” As He Pledges His Future to Atletico Madrid

Nicolas Gonzalez has pledged his fealty to Atletico Madrid, and hopes his performances warrant a permanent move beyond his current loan deal.

Nicolas Gonzalez may well have worn a Juventus shirt for the last time with the Argentine keen to stay at Atletico Madrid beyond this season.

A troubled spell in Turin saw Gonzalez struggle to make the impact his €28 million fee would have suggested, prompting him to look elsewhere to further his career.

The 27-year-old lasted just one full season at Juventus but rarely found himself as a guaranteed starter, with Thiago Motta and subsequently Igor Tudor wrestling with an unsettled squad.

While Gonzalez has not necessarily garnered more minutes, he has found an environment more suited to his ambitions in Madrid, so far featuring 16 times in La Liga.

Nicolas Gonzalez Wants to Stay at Atletico Madrid

There is optimism from both Gonzalez and Atleti that the partnership will continue beyond the current campaign, but it remains dependent on his impact between now and the end of the season.

Manager Diego Simeone is a keen admirer of his compatriot, and is appreciative of his dogged defensive work off the ball that is required to be successful in his teams.

Such is the harmonious connection between the two that Gonzalez has publicly revealed his ambitions beyond this season, and he is seemingly hoping to avoid a return to Juventus at all costs.

He said, “Future? I don’t want to let go of this jersey; it will depend on me and the coach. I will work to achieve the goal of winning with this jersey.”

Will Atletico Madrid Sign Nicolas Gonzalez Permanently?

At the time of writing, everything points towards Gonzalez staying in Madrid beyond his loan deal.

Atleti inserted a buy option into the loan deal worth €35 million, which is reportedly contingent on how many games he plays across the campaign.

While it is unclear what that exact amount is, he is on course to feature in well over half of their total matches barring any major injury setbacks.

There had been friction between his parent club and Atleti, with Juve concerned over his minutes so far, and whether he would indeed reach the threshold for the full fee.

Gonzalez has made little impact in terms of actual goal involvements, and has struggled to tap into the kind of effectiveness we came to expect from him in his final year at Fiorentina.

Nevertheless, Simeone is a staunch supporter of his tireless work off the ball and sacrifices for the collective, and it is likely the manager will push for his signature even more after Gonzalez’s intentions were made clear.