Diego Simeone has plans for the new season and Atletico started the season with a crazy winner. Team has to trim the squad in the next 10 days.
Before the transfer window closes
With less than two weeks to go until the transfer window closes, Atletico Madrid still have work to do, particularly when it comes to trimming their squad and finding solutions for those players not in Diego Simeone’s plans for the 2021/22 campaign. In terms of arrivals, an additional centre forward is the only outstanding item of business, but there are a number of departures which need to be finalised. Having signed Benjamin Lecomte as Jan Oblak’s back-up, and therefore loaned out Ivo Grbic to Lille, Los Colchoneros are now turning their attention to the other players heading for the exit door. The first looks set to be Marcos Paulo, with the Brazil-born Portuguese forward already in Portugal to finalise a loan move to Famalicao. Atleti only signed Marcos Paulo in July, but he will spend this season in Portugal where increased game time will aid his development while he adapts to European football.
Santiago Arias is almost sold
Two other players who look certain to leave are Santiago Arias and Nehuen Perez as neither have been registered with LaLiga. Their non-EU status hinders their chances of being added to Los Rojiblancos’ squad. Colombian right-back Arias, who spent last season on loan at Bayer Leverkusen, is behind both Kieran Trippier and the versatile Sime Vrsaljko in the pecking order, so Atleti will seek to arrange another move for him. Argentine centre back Nehuen Perez, meanwhile, is very much in demand and, with Simeone seeing him as one for the future, it looks likely he will be loaned to Udinese. The 21-year-old has other suitors, but the Italians have been keen on him since the negotiations for Rodrigo de Paul.