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MADRID, SPAIN – SEPTEMBER 27: Nico Gonzalez of Atletico de Madrid reacts during the LaLiga EA Sports match between Atletico de Madrid and Real Madrid CF at Riyadh Air Metropolitano on September 27, 2025 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
Reports in Italy indicate that Atletico Madrid are unlikely to activate their conditional obligation to buy clause for Juventus owned-winger Nico Gonzalez, and now it remains to be seen whether he will stay on in Spain, return to Serie A or move elsewhere heading into the summer.
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Will Nico Gonzalez stay with Atletico or return to Juventus?
Nico Gonzalez is on loan to Atletico Madrid with a conditional obligation to buy from Juventus. The Argentina international moved for a loan fee of €1m with potential bonuses of up to another €1m and a potential obligation to buy for €32m.
According to recent updates, Atletico will trigger Nico Gonzalez’s obligation to buy clause in the event that he plays for at least 45 minutes in 60% of the LaLiga matches that he has been available for.
Given that Nico Gonzalez was still a Juventus player for the first three LaLiga matches of the 2025-26 season, he will need to play for 45 minutes or more in 21 league matches this season in order to hit the 60% mark.
As things stand, Nico Gonzalez has made 22 appearances in LaLiga this term, but has only played for 45 minutes or more in 15 of them.
That means that he must play for 45 minutes or more in six of Atletico’s final seven LaLiga matches of the season, which appears unlikely given that he has only played for 45+ minutes in four LaLiga matches since the turn of the new year. Atleti will be in league action against Elche on Wednesday evening.
With it looking unlikely that Atletico will activate their €32m obligation to buy fee, Nico Gonzalez now faces a somewhat uncertain future.
There have been reports that Atletico are still keen to keep him on board for the 2026-27 season and that they will instead look to negotiate a discounted fee with Juventus during the summer transfer window.
Juventus will need to raise just over €20m in order to avoid making a capital loss on the Argentine.
Reports from Calciomercato.com claim that the two teams could potentially come to a compromise and strike an agreement somewhere between the €20m and €32m marks.
However, if they are unable to come to an agreement, there is a possibility that Nico Gonzalez returns to Juventus and fights for his spot in the team under Luciano Spalletti in 2026-27.
ByPeter Young
Peter Young is a Senior Reporter with Football Italia.
