來源：體壇網2024-08-08 02:17
La Liga summer transfer window has been relatively quiet, except for Atletico Madrid that has been making big moves. The highest transfer fee reaches up to 95 million euros for the new signing Julian Alvarez, and the 40 million acquisition of Galagal has become even closer. Including the signings of Renan Lodi (34.5 million euros) and last season's second top scorer Sergio Lletget (32 million euros), Atletico Madrid's aggressive actions in this transfer window have ignited discussions among the public about their potential competition with their city rivals. This also raises numerous questions about why traditionally not known for being wealthy, Atletico Madrid is being so extravagant in this summer market?
According to the financial report for the 2022-23 fiscal year, Atletico Madrid's revenue (358 million euros) is far behind Real Madrid (843 million euros) and Barcelona (806 million euros), but it is still more than enough compared to teams like Sevilla and Valencia. The improvement in Atletico Madrid's financial situation can be traced back to their move from Calderon to Wanda Metropolitano in 2017, which increased the club's stadium revenue. Selling the Calderon land to a real estate developer also enriched Atletico Madrid's accounts. Moreover, Atletico's stable revenue cannot be separated from the military management of Diego Simeone. Under the leadership of the Argentine coach, Atletico Madrid has participated in the Champions League for 11 consecutive seasons, and the bonus income cannot be ignored. The most direct stimulus this summer comes from the injection of 70 million euros from the major shareholders. Among them, Atletico HoldCo, owned by Israeli investor Idan Ofer's Quantum Pacific, injected 20 million euros, and Hill Marin, with 50 million euros, helped boost the club's financial power.
Furthermore, Atletico Madrid cleared several veteran players who were among the highest earners on the salary bill this summer. Spanish striker Alvaro Morata, 31, joined AC Milan for 13 million euros. Dutch striker Memphis Depay, 30, left on a free transfer. Spanish attacking midfielder Saul, 29, who has seen a decline in form, was loaned to Sevilla with Atletico Madrid covering part of his salary. In addition, four defenders left the team, including Mario Hermoso, Stefan Savic, Felipe and Gabriel Paulista. This allowed Atletico Madrid to free up salary space to comply with La Liga's financial regulations.
Compared to the smooth negotiation process for Alvarez, Atletico Madrid's efforts to strengthen their midfield have been more difficult. Whether it's Galagal's reluctance to transfer or the unsuccessful pursuit of Valencia's 21-year-old Spanish midfielder, Havi Garcia, the club's management has had a hard time. According to Spanish media reports, Atletico Madrid reached a pre-agreement with Valencia for Garcia's transfer for 25 million euros plus add-ons. The player was even allowed to travel to Madrid for a medical examination. However, Atletico Madrid failed to meet the conditions set by Valencia before the Wednesday deadline, and Valencia threatened to withdraw from the deal.
Although Atletico Madrid seems to have been chasing Galagal, a B2B midfielder who better suits Simeone's tactical traits, the advantage of Spanish midfielder Garcia is that he is Spanish. According to Atletico Madrid's current signing process, when Alvarez joins, they will have three non-European players, including Naiver Molina and Samuel Lino, which will make it difficult for Englishman Galagal to register.
In this transfer chain, there is another key person - 20-year-old Spanish striker Fabio Omoioli. Atletico Madrid rejected Chelsea's bid of 32.5 million euros for this young talent in June. Omoioli is currently participating in the Olympics with the Spanish U23 team and will help the team compete for the gold medal against France on Friday. Now Atletico Madrid needs to raise more funds to sign Alvarez, so if Chelsea increases their offer, they will be happy to accept it. Atletico Madrid only paid 6 million euros to Granada for Omoioli last summer, and the player's value has skyrocketed since then.
Atletico Madrid also has a hot potato in Felix, who they have been eager to sell for several years. The club has never hidden its desire to sell the Portuguese forward, and they are not willing to sell at a loss. In 2019, Atletico Madrid paid 127 million euros to buy the talented Portuguese forward from Benfica, but the player's value has been declining. It is almost impossible to sell him at the same price now.
Atletico Madrid's big signings have excited fans, but the layout of their squad has also worried loyal supporters. Whether in-hand or in the pipeline, they have undoubtedly acquired top-quality players, but last season they conceded 68 goals across all competitions, the highest since Simeone took charge. With four defenders leaving and only one replacement in Renan Lodi, is this Simeone's intention or the failure of the decision-making group?
So, what is Atletico Madrid's intention with these aggressive signings? Are they playing the long game or seeking immediate satisfaction? Looking at their ages, Alvarez is 24, Galagal is the same age, Renan Lodi is 27, and Lletget is 28. Spending big money on these players in their mid to late 20s, who do not have obvious resale value, shows that Atletico Madrid is looking for immediate results on the field rather than a patient long-term plan.
Many voices in the Spanish football community believe that Atletico Madrid will be sold to foreign investors at some point in the future. The club's ownership structure is currently very complex, with Atletico HoldCo holding 70% of the shares, and Quantum Pacific, owned by Israeli investor Idan Ofer, holding 30%. In Atletico HoldCo, Hill Marin and Atletico Madrid President Enrique Cerezo hold 66% of the shares, while the remaining 33% is owned by American investment firm Ares.
Of course, regardless of Atletico Madrid's motives for their signings or the potential changes in the transfer market in the last few weeks, the upcoming new season is destined to be an intriguing one for Atletico Madrid and their fans.