Official: Atletico Madrid sign Jackson Martinez

Porto have confirmed that their star striker Jackson Martinez will join Atletico Madrid after the Rojiblancos triggered his £24.8million release clause. According to reports, Martinez is set for a medical next week after he left Porto on Tuesday.

The Colombian striker had already shown his interest in leaving the Portuguese side. Initial reports suggested that he will join AC Milan after Porto president Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa said, “Jackson Martinez has chosen Milan,”. Even Arsene Wenger was reportedly interested in bringing Martinez to Emirates Stadium. But the Portuguese giants released a statement saying: ‘Atletico Madrid agreed on Tuesday to pay Jackson Martinez’s release clause to the sum of €35 million (£24.8m).’

Jackson Martinez’s agent revealed last week that the striker would move to the Vicente Calderon after rejecting the chance to join AC Milan. Martinez will be joining Atletico on a four-year deal, after revealing the move himself, saying: “I can confirm I am going to Atletico. I am going there for four years, but I still don’t know when I will be introduced,” Martinez said. “It’s all ready. I’m going to enjoy spending some time with my family for now and then travel to Spain to introduce myself to my new club.”

Jackson Martinez will be joining the long list of the world-class strikers who have led the line for Atleti in recent years, including names like Fernando Torres, Diego Forlan, Sergio Aguero, Radamel Falcao, Diego Costa and Mario Mandzukic, and hopes to perform well in a league featuring the two best players in the world.

“I’m very excited about taking this step with Atletico Madrid. It’s a new challenge in my career and I hope things turn out very well for me there. I’m joining with the promise of contributing to ensure the club follows their evolution.”

Porto signed Jackson Martinez from Chiaspas in 2012, and he repaid them by scoring 92 goals in just 132 games for them, and was the top league goal scorer in each of his three seasons in Portugal. And the 28-year-old striker wants to continue his prolific goal-scoring form for the club where another Colombian striker, Radamel Falcao, is a fan favourite.

“I have had a great progression, always learning, always growing, and now I’m going to Atletico where I hope to help the team and also continue to grow as a player,” he said. “I hope to be another Colombian as successful as Falcao was there.”