Dalian closing on Atletico's Carrasco

Newly promoted Chinese Super League side Dalian Yifang is in a race to sign Atletico Madrid star Yannick Carrasco before the transfer window shuts on Feb 28.

Yifang is reportedly prepared to pay 30 million euro ($37 million) to acquire the 24-year-old Belgian winger, who was omitted from the Atletico squad for Thursday's Europa League last-32 victory over Copenhagen.

Atletico has reportedly given Carrasco permission to talk to the CSL side, which is thought to be on the verge of being taken over by the Spanish club's former part-owner Dalian Wanda Group.

"Carrasco informed the club that he has received an offer from a Chinese club and Atletico has granted the player permission to negotiate and, once he reaches an agreement, (to) come back with a firm offer," an Atletico source told media.

Carrasco joined Atletico in summer 2015 from Monaco, scoring 17 goals in 81 appearances since, including the equalizer in the 2016 Champions League final, which Atletico eventually lost on penalties to Real Madrid.

This term he has hit the net three times and has been largely limited to appearances off the bench, with the January arrival of Vitolo from Sevilla not helping his cause. Carrasco is now desperate for more game time in a bid to force his way into Belgium's starting XI for this summer's World Cup finals.

Other reports are also linking Yifang with Atletico striker Fernando Torres and Sao Paulo's Peruvian midfielder Christian Cueva.

Like Carrasco, Torres has struggled for starts this term and Yifang has reportedly offered the 33-year-old former Liverpool and Chelsea forward net wages of 15 million euro ($18 million) per year.

On Thursday, Yifang fans were buoyed by reports of Dalian Wanda Group's imminent purchase of the club. As yet, though, there has been no official confirmation of that deal.

Wanda Group bankrolled the legendary Dalian Wanda FC, which won four league titles between 1994 and 1998 in the early years of the professional game in China.

Dalian Wanda became Dalian Shide when Wanda sold the club in 2000 and 12 years later it quit the CSL.

Dalian Wanda was at the vanguard of Chinese businesses buying into European soccer when it paid over $50 million for around a fifth of Atletico in 2015.

The group sold its 17 per cent stake in February to Quantum Pacific but will remain a sponsor of the team and the club's recently completed Wanda Metropolitano stadium.

shifutian@chinadaily.com.cn