#360transfers: Simeone warns clubs off Atletico Madrid stars

Sport360 staff 15:47 18/06/2015
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  • Simeone will have a tough time keeping stars.

    Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone has warned potential suitors that their star players Koke and Diego Godin are not for sale.

    Reports in England claim Chelsea are looking to make a double bid to sign Uruguay defender Godin and Spanish midfielder Koke this summer.

    However, when asked which Atletico players are non-transferable, Simeone told Marca: “Koke and Godin, and that’s about it.”

    Godin, 29, made 34 starts in the Primera Division for Atletico this season and is under contract with the Madrid outfit until June 2018.

    Koke, a Spain international, scored twice and set up 10.more goals in 34 league appearances for Atletico this campaign.

    The 23-year-old is tied to Atletico for another four seasons. “Koke is such a capable player,” Simeone said.

    “He has such vision of play. He can play in different roles and gives us a lot of options in attack.”

    “I have confidence that unlike last season, we will maintain a certain stability in our group in order to continue to grow.”

    Atletico won La Liga in the 2013/14 campaign but finished third behind Barcelona and Real Madrid this season.

    The departures of several key members of their title-winning squad was a factor in why Atletico have not managed to reach the same heights this time round. The club lost top-scorer Diego Costa, defender Filipe Luis and on-loan goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to Chelsea last summer, while striker David Villa also left to sign for Major League Soccer outfit New York City FC.

    “Last season, we had to do without Courtois, Jose Sosa, Villa, Costa and Filipe Luis,” Simeone said.

    “This is not going to happen this year. If we maintain the main group and improve on certain positions, we will return to compete as we have done in recent years.”

    “We have an idea of the player we need to keep growing.”

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