Atleti's Transfer Scramble: 10 Days to Land Two Key Signings
Atlético Madrid face a race against time with just 10 days left to bolster their squad with a midfielder and winger after four departures and zero arrivals.
With the winter transfer window slamming shut on February 2nd, Atlético Madrid are feeling the squeeze to strengthen a dangerously thin squad still competing on three fronts.
Squad Crisis
The Rojiblancos have been busy showing players the door this January, with four departures (Gallagher, Raspadori, Galán and Carlos Martín) leaving them with just 20 first-team players. That’s proper slim pickings for a club still in the hunt for La Liga, Copa del Rey and Champions League glory.
The Galatasaray match highlighted their lack of depth, particularly in attack. After bringing on Griezmann as his third forward, Simeone had only Nico González left to turn to for fresh legs up front.
Transfer Targets
Mateu Alemany, facing his first transfer window as Atlético’s sporting director, has two clear priorities:
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Midfielder: Joao Gomes of Wolves tops their wishlist, with Barcelona’s Marc Casadó also under consideration. The midfield has been particularly short-staffed since Gallagher legged it back to the Premier League.
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Winger: PSG’s Kang-in Lee is the apple of their eye to boost attacking options. The South Korean would not only add quality but also represents a commercial opportunity in the Asian market, potentially justifying PSG’s hefty asking price of €40-50 million.
Alemany’s Challenge
Alemany brings considerable experience from his stints at Mallorca, Valencia, and most recently Barcelona, where he navigated serious financial constraints while still delivering results in the transfer market.
Speaking in Istanbul, the Balearic director acknowledged the difficulties ahead: “We have a clear profile of what we’re looking for… we’ll see if the market, which is difficult and hostile, gives us the possibility to bring in one or two players.”
The plan is crystal clear – Joao Gomes and Kang-in Lee are the targets. Now it’s down to Alemany to work his magic in what promises to be a proper squeaky bum time until deadline day.