Simeone quietly assembling Atletico squad to compete with elite

Andy West 10:55 23/06/2015
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  • Simeone has already been very active.

    Real Madrid and Barcelona; Barcelona and Real Madrid: As ever, Spanish football’s news agenda is being set by two clubs and two clubs only.

    – #360transfers: Martinez plums for Atletico over AC Milan
    – #360transfers: Benitez remains coy on deal for De Gea
    – GALLERY: The fans bringing colour to the Copa America

    But while the chase for David De Gea, Sergio Ramos’s contractual wrangling, Neymar and Lionel Messi’s international exploits and Joan Laporta’s probable return to the Nou Camp presidency dominate headlines, under the radar Atletico Madrid are quietly enjoying a very promising summer.

    With the double purchase of strikers Jackson Martinez and Luciano Vietto set to be confirmed, Atletico are adding a pair of players who combined for a total of 52 goals last season.

    When you throw into the mix the existing talents of Antoine Griezmann – one of La Liga’s outstanding players last season – and the dogged Fernando Torres, it’s clear that Diego Simeone, who has proven himself to know a thing or two about winning a game of football, will have a dazzling array of firepower at his service when the new campaign starts in August.

    The capture of Martinez and Vietto for a combined €55 million (Dh229.4m) is a clear statement of intent, made possible by Atleti’s recent link-up with inordinately wealthy Chinese property company Dalian Wanda Group, who now own 20 per cent of the club.

    This duel swoop is by no means the summer’s only cause for optimism at the Vicente Calderon, where Simeone is hoping to bring back one of his title-winning players from just over a year ago, left-back Filipe Luis from Chelsea.

    The deal would make sense for all parties, the Brazilian struggling to establish a regular place at Stamford Bridge and neither of his replacements at Atleti – Guilherme Siqueira nor Cristian Ansaldi – offered a convincing case for becoming permanent fixtures in the side. 

    Another major decision taken by Simeone has been allowing defensive stalwart Miranda to join Internazionale, reflecting the Argentine coach’s understandable confidence in the rapidly emerging Jose Gimenez, who is currently underlining his enormous quality – despite still only being 20 years old – alongside club team-mate Diego Godin in the heart of Uruguay’s back four at Copa America.

    Gimenez isn’t the only highly promising youngster on the books, with versatile 20 year-old Saul Niguez, scorer of the second goal in last season’s 4-0 thrashing of Real, and classy playmaker Oliver Torres, also 20 and fresh from an impressive campaign on loan at Porto, both ready to become regular members of Simeone’s starting XI.

    Last but no means least, Atleti appear set to keep their fabulous trio of attacking stars Griezmann, Koke and Arda Turan, all of whom look likely to stay after firmly establishing themselves among the finest players in Europe.

    Despite all this, Los Rojiblancos remain an afterthought in their home country, which is continuing its blind obsession with 'The Big Two' to the extent that Atletico’s impending capture of Martinez was shoved into the background by a bland interview with Real’s soon-to-be-third choice goalkeeper Keylor Navas on leading Spanish sports websites on Monday.

    Bookmakers are following the same script, generally rating Atletico as only ninth favourites to lift the Champions League trophy in Milan next year.

    With such outstanding quality, Simeone will relish the opportunity of proving them all wrong – again.

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