Matt Doherty's move to Atletico Madrid did not work out quite as the wing-back might have hoped.
The Irish international moved to Atletico unexpectedly in January, after being released by Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur.
However, Doherty was rarely seen on the pitch for the Spanish side, even when his competition for game time suffered injuries during the latter half of the season.
Ultimately, Doherty would rack up just 16 minutes of football for Atletico Madrid during his six-months at the club, and is set to depart when his contract expires at the end of this month.
It remains unclear exactly what the purpose of the move to Madrid was for either Doherty or Atletico, and questions will now be asked of where the Irishman goes next.
Matt Doherty in talks to join superstars in Saudi Arabia
Noted transfer guru Fabrizio Romano had an interesting revelation on Monday evening.
Romano reported that several Saudi Arabian clubs are in negotiations with Matt Doherty, as the influx of talent to the Saudi league continues.
Understand Saudi clubs are now in talks to sign Matt Doherty as free agent after 6 months deal at Atlético Madrid. ⚪️🇸🇦 #transfers
Negotiations are taking place with the former Spurs fullback. pic.twitter.com/55ziC126nJ— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 19, 2023
Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, and N'Golo Kanté are among those to have moved to the Saudi league, while Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva, and Kalidou Koulibaly have all been linked with moves to the state in recent weeks.
Given Doherty was playing regular Premier League football last season, this would mark quite the step down - though regular football surely has to be the first priority for him.
Doherty signed for Spurs in 2020, after ten years with Wolves in which he became a firm fan favourite. Though his form was mixed with Spurs, he did enjoy several purple patches, and played some of his best football under the stewardship of Antonio Conte in early 2022.
His form has dipped in recent months, however, culminating in his nightmare spell in the Spanish capital.
The 31-year-old was sent off in Ireland's dour 2-1 defeat in Athens on Friday, after one of his poorest performances in an Irish shirt.
As one of the most talented players in the Irish squad, with experience of playing in the Champions League, getting Matt Doherty back to regular top-level football would be a huge boost for the Irish national team. Doubts will persist as to whether the rumoured links to the Saudi league would be the right move for Doherty.
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