David Hancko has offered a revealing look into the magnitude of the contract he turned down from Al-Nassr, disclosing that the Saudi offer was so large, it would take two decades at Atlético Madrid to match the money. Now settled in Spain, the Slovakian defender reflects on the turbulent summer transfer window that almost saw him line up alongside Cristiano Ronaldo before a dramatic U-turn landed him at Atlético, and he isn’t holding back on the details.
The deal that almost was: A €40 million agreement with Al-Nassr
In the early stages of the summer window, David Hancko was on the verge of a major move from Feyenoord to Saudi Arabia. According to early reports, Al-Nassr and the Dutch club had already reached a broad agreement on a deal worth €35 million($40.95 million), potentially rising to €40 million ($46.8 millio) with bonuses. The 27-year-old was even in Austria, training with Al-Nassr during their pre-season camp under Jorge Jesus, with Cristiano Ronaldo already part of the setup. “Everything was already agreed between the clubs and with us,” Hancko told Flash Score. “I joined the (Cristiano Ronaldo and Al-Nassr) team at a training camp, and then things started to drag on. It felt strange; they were communicating with my agent and didn’t want me to come personally. That’s when I sensed things weren’t moving in the right direction. More excuses came from their side.” Sensing trouble, Hancko and his agent pivoted quickly. “My agent had built a good relationship with Atlético’s sporting director. We let them know the situation, that things weren’t progressing smoothly and that if Atlético worked out a deal with Feyenoord, we were ready to fly immediately. That sparked a reaction with them and it was all sorted within a day and a half.”
The switch to Atlético: Swift moves and a sense of belonging
Though Atlético Madrid had monitored Hancko since the previous season, the move only accelerated when Al-Nassr’s hesitations grew obvious. Within 36 hours, the Spanish club made their move. He signed on a five-year contract worth €12 million per year ($14.04 million per year), significantly less than what Al-Nassr was offering. Speaking to TA3, Hancko said: “When things weren’t working in Austria, my agent told Atlético they still had a chance. In just a day and a half, they did what we hoped for in a year and a half.” Despite the financial gap between the two offers, Hancko never wavered from his goal of staying in Europe: “Al-Nassr wasn’t our first choice because I always wanted to stay in Europe. And although I spoke to coaches and sporting directors at other clubs in previous transfer windows, the transfer never materialised. This summer, only one offer came in, but it was incredible… So we had to sit down and talk about it.”
The money: A candid comparison
Hancko didn’t shy away from spelling out the vast financial difference between the two options. The defender made clear just how enormous the Saudi offer was, in stark contrast to what he’ll make at Atlético. “I’m not going to lie, that contract was simply… If I compare contracts, I would have to play for Atlético for 20 years to earn that much. And I have a five-year contract with them, while with Al-Nassr it was only four.” Ultimately, the choice wasn’t only about money. Hancko, who has already made three La Liga appearances and delivered one assist for Atlético, was driven by ambition, and personal values.
Family, uncertainty, and the weight of decision
The transfer saga wasn’t just a professional crossroad, it was a personal ordeal. With his wife Kristýnka pregnant, Hancko was mindful of how the move could affect their lives. “It wasn’t ideal to take my pregnant wife so far away, though she said she was ready to support me wherever,” he said. “Of course, she also had her preferences.” The emotional toll of the week wasn’t small. Speaking to Flash Score, he recalled: “Even though the whole week wasn’t easy, I lost about three kilos because I slept little and spent most of the time in the hotel lobby, just sitting, waiting, and trying to keep everything in perspective. My wife Kristýnka was a huge support, helping me through it, and I kept reminding myself that in the end, it’s ‘just’ football, even though it affected family life by deciding where and how we’d live.” Reflecting on how it all turned out, Hancko added: “They really wanted to sign me and did everything we’d hoped they would – last year, in winter, or this summer. In the end, they managed it within a day and a half. I always felt I wanted to stay in Europe, and I believe fate played a role, that it was meant to happen this way.”
A sliding door moment
Only days after the Hancko deal collapsed, Al-Nassr moved swiftly to fill the gap, signing Iñigo Martínez from Barcelona on a free transfer, following the activation of a contract clause. The Saudi club’s sudden pivot underscored the abruptness of Hancko’s change in direction, and perhaps validated his instinct that things weren’t quite right. Now at Atlético, Hancko is not only playing top-tier European football but doing so with the clarity of a man who walked away from staggering money to follow his gut. In today’s football landscape, that kind of decision carries weight, and maybe even a little admiration.
