While La Liga giants Real Madrid and Barcelona have already made their moves this offseason, the same can’t be said for Atletico Madrid, who are in a state of uncertainty with the pre-season just around the corner.
There are decisions to be made for Atletico Madrid, as rival clubs are not only circling around their star players but also their coach, Diego Simeone, who has been with the team for as long as we can remember.
Los Rojiblancos haven’t won anything since lifting the La Liga trophy in 2020-21. The pre-season La Liga 2023 odds have them as the third favourite behind Barcelona and Real Madrid to win it this upcoming season, so they must get their act right if they are going to break the duopoly anew.
Without further ado, read more below as SBOTOP presents the latest set of La Liga 2023 updates, with a particular focus on Atletico Madrid.
Felix the odd man out?
Atleti are currently holding their training camp in San Rafael, Segovia, before they go on tour in South Korea and North America next week.
Joao Felix was recently observed working out with the youth team alongside Renan Lodi on the first day of Atletico Madrid’s preseason training camp, as reportedly requested by Diego Simeone.
The Portuguese forward is returning from his loan spell at Chelsea, where he scored four goals in 16 Premier League appearances.
It was widely believed that he would stay at Stamford Bridge following his half-season stint, but the Blues didn’t even consider buying him because new boss Mauricio Pochettino has already bolstered their attacking depth with the acquisitions of Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson.
Speculation continues to mount on Felix’s future given his rocky relationship with Simeone, and PSG are reportedly ready to swoop in for the former Benfica man. PSG’s new manager, Luis Enrique, is said to be a huge fan of Felix, although there’s no imminent deal between the two teams just yet.
Felix, who arrived at the club in 2019, has a deal with Atletico Madrid that expires in 2027. Atletico Madrid have reportedly put a hefty price tag on the 23-year-old, in the region of £85 million.
Felix’s addition would benefit PSG since it would help fill the void left by Lionel Messi’s recent transfer to Inter Miami.
Morata, Llorente linked with a move overseas
Joao Felix may not be the only Atletico Madrid player who’s on the move, as Alvaro Morata and Marcos Llorente are being linked with moves away from the Civitas Metropolitano.
Morata has attracted interest from a host of clubs in both Italy and Saudi Arabia, such as AC Milan, Juventus, AS Roma, Al-Hilal, and Al-Ettifaq.
Despite having only signed a new extension, Atletico Madrid are reportedly open to selling the 30-year-old striker for at least €20 million, although his annual salary of €9 million might be too high for his bidders.
Local reports claim that Marcos Llorente is being eyed by two Premier League clubs: Manchester United and Liverpool. Atletico Madrid are looking to get around €60 million for the midfielder’s signature.
Like Morata, Llorente recently signed a new contract with Atletico Madrid that will last until June 2026, but the club is willing to sell him because of his slumping form in recent months.
Manchester United are keen on adding another midfielder, even if they recently acquired Mason Mount from Chelsea. Liverpool are also planning to further strengthen their midfield after adding Alexis Mac Allister earlier this summer.
With Los Rojiblancos working on a tight transfer budget, selling Morata and Llorente would help alleviate their financial problems, especially after they just brought in the likes of Caglar Soyuncu, Javi Galan, and Cesar Azpilicueta.
Simeone being offered to Saudi Arabia
Given how much Saudi Arabian clubs have splashed the cash this summer, Simeone was reportedly given a mouthwatering offer to leave his La Liga job, but he rejected an offer to manage Al-Ahli as he has no plans to abandon Atletico Madrid.
The 53-year-old boss signed an extension two years ago that will run until the summer of 2024. Simeone has been manager at Atleti since 2011, and he said that he would like to stay longer with the club.
However, in order to make it happen, Simeone will have to lower his salary given the club’s economic constraints. Right now, he’s earning €20 million annually, and that may be reduced to €16.5 million.Last season, Simeone guided Atletico Madrid to third place in La Liga, ensuring their qualification for the Champions League for the 11th straight season.
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