Football
Dermot Corrigan, Madrid correspondent 8y

Atletico Madrid youngster Diogo Jota aims to emulate Antoine Griezmann

New Atletico Madrid signing Diogo Jota says he can have a similar impact at the club as Estadio Vicente Calderon and France hero Antoine Griezmann.

A €7 million signing from Pacos de Ferreira, Portugal youth international Jota was Liga Sagres young player of year last season as he scored 14 goals and provided 10 assists in all competitions.

The 19-year-old settled in at the Calderon this week, just as his new Atletico colleague Griezmann was firing France through to the Euro 2016 final to meet Portugal's senior side.

Speaking to news agency EFE, the youngster said he believed his style of play was similar to that of his more high-profile teammate.

"I like watching Griezmann play," Jota said. "I believe I can do similar things to him, including physically we are similar."

Reports in Spain say that Jota was previously part-owned by agents Gestifute, with his former club Pacos de Ferreira receiving less than half of the reported €7 million fee in a transfer which was agreed last March.

Linked in the past with Premier League clubs including Arsenal and West Ham, Jota said he had turned down several other offers as he had been impressed by Atletico's way of doing business.

"I had various offers, Portuguese clubs, and English, but I preferred to play in Spain," he said. "Atletico's way of presenting their offer seemed serious to me. The financial offer was the same as the others. I liked how the club's owner Miguel Angel Gil Marin went about it."

Many Atletico signings -- including Griezmann -- have struggled in the beginning to get used to the physical and tactical demands of playing for coach Diego Simeone, something which Jota said he was well aware of.

"I know," he said. "Now I have a test of fire and I hope to adapt. It will be more difficult on a physical level, that is clear. I will have to close up spaces in defence and then come out on the break."

Jota was present at Atletico's Cerro del Espino training ground on Thursday as the team began their preseason programme overseen by fitness coach Oscar 'El Profe' Ortega. Also in attendance was another new face in Colombian striker Rafael Santos Borre, and senior players including recently re-signed Fernando Torres and Brazil left-back Filipe Luis.

Simeone took part in the running, which midfielder Bernard Mensah, who spent last season on loan at Getafe, found to be tough going.

Right-back Jesus Gamez did not join Atletico training on Thursday, as he was finalising a move to Championship side Newcastle which was completed Friday morning.

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