Negredo eyeing Sevilla exit

Sevilla president Jose Maria del Nido has revealed that Alvaro Negredo has made clear his desire to leave the club.

Negredo, who joined the Andalusian club from Almeria in 2009, netted 31 goals in 42 appearances last term as Sevilla finished ninth in La Liga.

But Del Nido has explained that the 27-year-old now wants to test himself at a higher level.

“He has said he wants to develop and that he wants to play in the Champions League,” Del Nido told Sevilla’s club television channel.

“One of the (interested) teams is Atletico Madrid and the other is outside of Spain. Sevilla will choose the best offer.

“An operation of this type has three parties: Sevilla fc, the club who want to buy and the player.

“One of the parties, which is the player, wants to go. Because of that we are already a little forced in our negotiations. We need to weigh up if it’s good for a player to stay against his will.

“The player hasn’t put his foot down and told me ‘I want to go’, but he has said that he wants to develop and wants to play in the Champions League.

“We won’t forget that that will of the player is very important for making a decision.”

Negredo was strongly linked with a move to Premier League side Everton during the January window, though a transfer failed to materialise.

The forward has earned 14 senior caps with Spain but failed to secure a place in Vicente del Bosque’s FIFA Confederations Cup squad.

Sevilla have already lost one of their main stars during the off-season, with winger Jesus Navas opting to join Manchester City.