Atletico Madrid’s 10 possible transfer targets for summer 2023

Atletico Madrid have had a rough start to the 2022/23 season, leading some to (unwisely) question the future of legendary coach Diego Simeone.

In the end, led by well-deserved La Liga Player of the Season frontrunner Antoine Griezmann, Atlético played fantastic football on both ends of the pitch, almost finishing second to rivals Real Madrid.

The goal of next season is to strive for the championship and go further in the Champions League. To do so, Atletico Madrid could consider signing one of these ten transfer targets in the 2023 summer window.

Celta Vigo LB Javi Galán: One of La Liga’s most underrated players, Xavi Garland was Huesca’s star player in 2020/21 and he’s even better at Celta Vigo. Garland is one of the best all-around wide players in Spanish football, winning possession and bombing the flanks tirelessly, finding success in the final third.

Even though Garland has been better in previous seasons, all things considered, he’s still going to be good for an inconsistent Celta side in 2022/23. Garland averaged 1.4 key passes, 1.9 dribbles and 2 fouls per game for Los Celestes. Defensively, he has nearly four tackles and interceptions per game.

Atlético have Reinierdo and possibly Yannick Carrasco, but they could use a more proactive skill set from Garland. He is a first-class player in La Liga.

Girona RB Arnau Martínez: An even better potential signing for Atletico Madrid is Girona’s Arnaud Martinez, one of a host of young players for this unexpected side. In their first season back in La Liga, Girona finished in the top half of the table and were in contention for a European spot until the end.

Arnau has proven to be one of the best right-backs in the league, and in this position, Atletico could use one more option. Arnau, who is only 20 years old, scored 3 goals and assisted 4 times for Girona in the 2022/23 season, averaging 2 fouls per game and more than 1 key pass per game. He is ready to become a star player in one of La Liga’s “Big Three”.

Roma CB Roger Ibañez: Roger Ibañez isn’t the most consistent centre-back, but when he’s ‘on the pitch’ he looks like one of the best in the world. A key member of Jose Mourinho’s side, Ibanez helped Roma reach the Europa League final and beat Juventus in this season’s competitive Serie A. If Roma can get him for the right price, he could be another top-flight centre-back to join their side.

Mallorca AM Lee Kang-In: Lee Kang-in is one of the most valuable young players in La Liga. He is the obvious star of a surprising Mallorca side, who top the top half of the table and have been one of the best teams in Spain’s top flight last season.

He did a little for Mallorca, playing a variety of positions for this flexible team. For teams focused on defense, Lee was the primary offensive outlet, often needing to dribble past many defenders to be successful. The Korean star scored 6 goals and assisted 6 times while completing 2.5 dribbles, 1.7 fouls and 1.5 key passes per game.

By the end of the season, he was undoubtedly one of the best players in La Liga. Lee, who is only 22 years old, deserves more attention than he does now because he is one of the most skilled and dynamic players in the league. His ability to create a threat from nothing is a perfect fit for Atletico Madrid’s flawless performance.

Borussia Mönchengladbach CF Marcus Thuram: Marcus Thuram is not an easy signing for Atletico Madrid in a competition like Paris Saint-Germain, as he is a free agent and has performed well over the past few seasons. But as one of the best all-round strikers in the world, he would be the perfect complement to Antoine Griezmann, who can set up as well as score.

Thuram made a scintillating start to the 2022/23 season, but defeat at Gladbach sealed his fate. Striker partner Alassane Plea has proven to be one of the biggest underdogs in the Bundesliga, which hurt Thuram. He excels against another striker, which is why a partnership with Griezmann would be so appealing.

CB Stuttgart Konstantinos Mavropanos: Stuttgart easily won the relegation play-offs with Hamburg to stay in the Bundesliga and while that would make Konstantinos Mavropanos harder to come by, he is still achievable for Atletico Madrid transfer target.

Based on his all-around skills, aggression and future upside, Mavropanos could be Los Rojiblancos’ best central defender target in 2023. The best central defender in the German top league for the 2022/23 season. He could have been a good understudy ahead of Stefan Savic and Jose Maria Jimenez, eventually taking over himself.

Paris Saint-Germain striker Carlos Soler: A former La Liga star, Carlos Soler’s move from Valencia to Paris Saint-Germain last summer always seemed dubious and unsurprisingly failed. Soler is not a bad player by any means, but he doesn’t really have what it takes to play in a Paris Saint-Germain team that includes Mbappe, Messi, Neymar and Ekitik in attacking positions.

In fact, Soler is more suitable for La Liga. He’s not a dynamic striker, but is versatile and able to get things done in a variety of ways. in attack. He could be a decent depth player for Atletico Madrid for the right price.

Valencia LB José Gayà: If Atletico Madrid want to prioritize left-back, they could go after Jose Gaja, who has been the most consistent player at that position in La Liga over the past few seasons. He is once again one of the best players in the league for the 2022/23 season.

Valencia staying up late will only make Gaya’s move less likely as he remains loyal to the club he leads. But trying to bring in such an accomplished and well-rounded left-back wouldn’t hurt Atletico Madrid.

Paris Saint-Germain center Leandro Paredes: Leandro Paredes is a quality midfielder with real grit and tenacity in the middle, which means he has the image that Diego Simeone likes. He’s a good passer and improver while also being a true defensive bulldog.

A loan move to Juventus simply doesn’t suit Paredes. He had few chances, struggled when he got on the pitch and wasn’t a good fit for the Bianconeri. Admittedly, Juventus is even more dysfunctional than Paris Saint-Germain, where Paredes has been doing well but has recently fallen out of favor for various reasons.

Paredes needs to join a team with a strong manager, a stable structure and a philosophy that values ​​midfielders who are proficient in the dark arts. The 28-year-old could be a strong, low-cost, bounce-back candidate for Los Rojiblancos.

Liverpool CF Roberto Firmino: Roberto Firmino is most likely to move to Major League Soccer, but after signing Benfica striker Darwin Nunez, his limited performances at Liverpool last season suggested that the Brazilian center forward still has something to offer. ability to do the job.

Firmino could be a perfect fit for Atletico Madrid as a backup, alongside Antoine Griezmann or another striker. If Atlético can’t keep Alvaro Morata, who has been a long-term performer, Firmino is a good option, he can maintain a complete presence on the offensive end, make others better, and can be used when needed. Scored key goals. Since Atletico Madrid wants to cross the hurdle of the Champions League, a player with the Champions League pedigree like Firmino is also a good choice.