Atletico Madrid have offered Edinson Cavani a one-year contract with the option for a further 12 months, Goal can reveal.
The offer comes days after Atletico completed a deal to sign Luis Suarez from Barcelona for €6 million (£5.5m/$7m) - now they are looking to bring his Uruguay international team-mate to Wanda Metropolitano.
However, there is a major hurdle in the way of the deal - Diego Costa. Atletico must sell the Spain international striker before they can sign Cavani, as they cannot afford the wages of all three star strikers.
Cavani is a free agent, having departed Paris Saint-Germain over the summer, however he will still command a hefty wage from whichever club he eventually signs for.
Atletico have regularly been mooted as a potential destination, and contacted Cavani in 2019 but were unable to complete a deal. However, Goal have learned that there has been renewed contact in recent days between the club and the striker's representatives.
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The offer on the table is a one-year contract for Cavani, with another season as an option should Atletico qualify for the Champions League in 2021-22.
They are also offering Cavani a good annual wage, although it is less than the €10m (£9m/$11.5m) he was earning at PSG as Atletico feel the pinch of both UEFA's Financial Fair Play rules, and the worldwide economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
It is money that is making Cavani's move to Atletico so complicated. They must move on Costa first, but the veteran striker's €10m wages mean they are struggling to find suitors before the October 5 deadline.
Should Costa leave, a deal for Cavani would likely be a formality. The possibility of linking up with Suarez, as he did for Uruguay for several years, is an enticing prospect.
Last season Cavani, 33, scored seven goals in 22 matches in all competitions for PSG.
Despite being a veteran of the game, Cavani has been linked with clubs in several top leagues after leaving Paris, including Barcelona, Benfica, Manchester United and Leeds United. He has even been linked with clubs back in South America but remains highly regarded in Europe and is set to stay for at least a couple more seasons.