Atlético Madrid have attacked the switch market this summer season, with Julian Álvarez subsequent in line to hitch from Manchester Metropolis in a big-money transfer. So, is one other title cost on the playing cards?
The payment Atlético Madrid are apparently keen to pay to signal Julian Álvarez could be construed in a few methods.
On the one hand, it’s a staggering little bit of enterprise that exhibits Atlético’s ambition. That they had already turned heads this summer season by signing Alexander Sørloth and Robin Le Normand, whereas a deal for Conor Gallagher appears to be like possible, too. They’ve been linked with much more summer season signings however we’ll go away it there for now. You get the purpose. Atlético Madrid imply enterprise.
However, the Álvarez payment – reportedly as much as €95 million – is a transparent demonstration of how far behind Atlético really feel they’ve fallen from really competing towards Actual Madrid, Barcelona and even additional afield, in Europe’s greatest competitors, the UEFA Champions League. Possibly extra importantly, the bottom Spain’s chasing pack – Athletic Membership, Actual Sociedad and Girona – have all made up on Atlético lately is much more worrying.
Determined occasions name for eye-watering switch charges.
That is the primary likelihood they’ve needed to present their ambition in a lot of years. A number of the greatest earners within the squad – Álvaro Morata, Saúl Ñíguez, Memphis Depay, Stefan Savic and Mario Hermoso – left the membership this summer season, releasing up lots in wages and with some even fetching a switch payment. Cash from earlier gross sales like Matheus Cunha, Renan Lodi and Yannick Carrasco has additionally been deposited into their checking account. They can even promote Samu Omorodion to Chelsea and can possible offload João Félix, ultimately, earlier than the switch market closes.
This isn’t evolution. It’s a revolution, and presumably the primary by Atlético since Diego Simeone took over in 2011. In 2019, they renovated their squad after promoting Antoine Griezmann to Barcelona, Lucas Hernández to Bayern Munich and Rodri to Manchester Metropolis. However again then, the turnover felt reactive; the pure course a promoting membership takes when the larger boys come knocking.
This summer season, they’ve signed Le Normand, one of the constant central defenders in La Liga in his prime and recent off Euro 2024 success. They’ve signed La Liga’s second-highest scorer final season in Sørloth. Gallagher too, who Chelsea have been keen to pay according to Moisés Caicedo and Enzo Fernández, will likely be an enormous signing. If that wasn’t sufficient, forcing Manchester Metropolis’s hand with a suggestion they couldn’t refuse definitely ends any dialogue of how Atlético need to clear up an issue that has been some years within the making.
An Ageing Squad
Atlético’s common squad age wanted consideration and it was an issue, naturally, that was getting worse by the season. Just one participant aged 24 or youthful (Samuel Lino) performed greater than 50% of minutes within the league final season. That they had the second-oldest common beginning eleven in La Liga final season (29 years and 232 days) behind solely Rayo Vallecano.
Simeone’s document of creating the Champions League in each single season since he took over meant expectations had risen so excessive that large dangers may not be tolerated. Giving younger gamers minutes isn’t a luxurious you may afford once you’re standing over a cliff with nothing however air between you and the icy chilly waters of fifth place and Europa League soccer under.
That meant a staleness had settled over Atlético Madrid’s switch enterprise lately, too.
You haven’t wanted a calendar to know the date throughout summer season in Madrid for the previous few years. That might be finished by retaining observe of Atlético’s switch information. The seemingly perpetual Morata departure tales started in early June as madrileños began to daydream in regards to the coastal cities additional south and the scent of suncream.
João Félix’s return to coaching would usually come round early-to-mid July because the canine days of summer season intensified. You’d have the inevitable scramble for cut-price offers and free transfers on the finish of the summer season earlier than in the end being left underwhelmed and unhappy as September arrived.
However this summer season has been completely different.
To be truthful, Le Normand, Sørloth and Gallagher as a summer season switch package deal would have been thrilling by itself. The push for Álvarez, a marquee signing who has gained all the things and was ok to persuade Pep Guardiola of his value, pushes this summer season’s dealings into one other galaxy.
What Will Julian Álvarez’s Position Be?
So, the place does Álvarez match into all of this?
In Atlético’s most up-to-date friendlies, they’ve experimented with a 3-4-3 in possession, and that is sensible as Simeone continues to maneuver within the path of a extra possession-based, dynamic method.
After shedding Lucas Hernández, Simeone merely couldn’t discover a left-back who may defend and assault in equal measure just like the French defender. He lastly accepted he must transfer to 5 on the again with attacking wing-backs. They play in a 5-3-2 now with Griezmann typically dropping into midfield to play as a fourth midfielder.
That may go away the primary striker remoted and likewise locations an enormous burden on Griezmann to each hyperlink play, create probabilities and end them, all of the whereas ensuring his defensive duties are taken care of.
Taking part in with Álvarez means you add one other attacker with out essentially compromising defensively. He can play wherever in attacking midfield and he may lead the road.
Not everybody matches into the mould of a Diego Simeone participant and ‘Cholo’ isn’t going to sacrifice defensive solidity for the sake of enjoying one other attacker. Fortunately sufficient, Álvarez was born with the Griezmann gene of being each supremely proficient and keen to work actually arduous.
He’s a triple menace in that he can create and rating whereas upholding his finish of the cut price with out the ball – so many gamers signed by Atlético have solely ticked one or two of these containers and failed beneath Simeone. Álvarez is the overall package deal and gamers like that command vital switch charges.
With Álvarez within the staff, fellow new signing Sørloth, who scored 23 occasions final season, and Griezmann, may doubtlessly develop into among the best attacking tridents in Europe.
It’s daring and courageous from Atlético however they nonetheless have work to do.
What Will the New Atlético Madrid Look Like?
Quickly sufficient, Atlético can have signed a brand new centre-back, a brand new midfielder and two new strikers this summer season. Le Normand will step proper in to play at centre-back beside Axel Witsel, who performed 2,784 minutes within the league final season – essentially the most by an outfielder. Additionally they misplaced Hermoso and Stefan Savic, who have been the second and third most-used centre-backs final season. Hermoso featured in all 4 of Atlético’s most-used centre-back partnerships and is but to get replaced.
César Azpilicueta and Jose Giménez will step in and struggle for minutes, as will Ilias Kostis, an academy graduate has been trialled at left centre-back throughout pre-season. They may possible usher in one other defender, with Aymeric Laporte and Feyenoord’s Dávid Hancko linked as Hermoso’s alternative.
Koke is 32 now and has been on the coronary heart of Atlético’s staff for over a decade. He organises the press and controls the rhythm however on this new-look Atlético, he is perhaps edged out for extra dynamic gamers similar to Rodrigo de Paul, Barrios, Gallagher and the returning Thomas Lemar. No person controls video games like Koke does, although, and Simeone prefers a double pivot to assist his captain – and the 3-4-3 solves this drawback.
The wing-backs will likely be Samuel Lino, a participant poised for a breakout season, and Marcos Llorente, who has supplanted Nahuel Molina on the right-hand facet.
After which in assault, Griezmann, Sørloth and Álvarez will possible be the popular lineup relying on the duty at hand and the opponent. Nevertheless it provides Simeone choices he didn’t beforehand have and an attacking menace to make the mouth water.
When Atlético final gained the league – the pandemic-blighted 2020-21 season – they went out within the first sport and beat Granada 6-1 with new signing Luis Suárez coming off the bench to attain a brace. Clearly, they needed to again that up by competing in 37 extra matches, however there was one thing from the beginning of that season that felt completely different.
We haven’t even seen Atlético take to the sector but this season. We should wait till Monday 19 August for that after they journey to play Villarreal in La Liga. However already, one thing feels very completely different about this season.
They’re exhibiting ambition, with a give attention to youth in the summertime; out with the previous, in with the brand new. And perhaps, above all else, there seems to have been a realisation that they couldn’t reside in purgatory perpetually.
It won’t work, but when it does, we might be about to witness one thing spectacular.
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