Atlético Mineiro, Chelsea agree loan extension for Nathan — report

According to UOL, Atlético Mineiro and Chelsea were able to reach an agreement, at least for the time being, over young loanee Nathan’s future, whose loan deal had technically expired on June 30th.

This weekend, just ahead of the resumption of the Brazilian Serie A after a midseason break for the Copa América, the two teams agreed to extend the loan for the next six months, through the end of the Brazilian season and until the winter transfer window in England.

No fee was demanded for the extension, and the official announcement has not been made yet. But Nathan has now returned to training, after being kept out due to the absence of a contract. Both Nathan and Atlético had expressed strong interest in continuing the loan, which has slowly turned from a waste of time to a good situation for the 23-year-old.

By the time this latest deal expires, Nathan, who’s also spent time on loan at Vitesse and Belenenses in Portugal, will have only six months left on the original five-year contract he signed with Chelsea in the summer of 2015. At that point, he will be able to explore a more permanent solution for the next step in his career. It’s unlikely that Chelsea would put up too many barriers for him.