Carrasco returns to Atletico on loan from Dalian Yifang

Madrid (AFP) – Atletico Madrid have signed Yannick Carrasco from Chinese side Dalian Yifang on loan until the end of the season, the Spanish club confirmed on Friday.

Carrasco returns to Atletico, where he spent three years before moving to China in 2018.

“Our club has reached an agreement with Dalian Yifang for the loan of Yannick Carrasco until the end of the current season,” an Atletico statement read.

“The player returns to Atletico, where he spent three seasons and played a total of 124 games, scoring 23 goals.”

Carrasco signed for Atletico from Monaco in 2015 and he played as a forward, predominantly out wide.

The Belgian scored in the 2016 Champions League final, as Atletico drew 1-1 with Real Madrid before losing on penalties.

He has spent the last two years in China, where he played 52 games while registering an impressive 24 goals and 17 assists.

Atletico described Carrasco as “a player who knows our team and has a lot of talent and provides penetration from both sides”.

The club have also been attempting to sign a striker this month, with both Diego Costa and Joao Felix out injured, and the team struggling for goals.

But a deal for Edinson Cavani is yet to materialise as Atletico and Paris Saint-Germain have been unable to agree a fee.