Atletico Madrid News
Simeone praises wantaway Atletico Madrid star after performance at World Cup
Atletico Madrid have struggled to get the best out of marquee forward Joao Felix in the three years that he has been at the club. The Portuguese ace has failed to carve out a regular berth for himself in Diego Simeone’s plans at the Civitas Metropolitano.
Having struggled to earn starts this season, Felix is said to be frustrated with his situation at Atletico Madrid and is understood to be seeking an exit from the club at the earliest possible.
Things have been a bit rocky between Felix and Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone, despite the latter insisting that he rates the 23-year-old highly and wants him to stay at the club.
Currently away at the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar, where he is representing Portugal, Felix showcased his quality in his team’s 3-2 win over Ghana yesterday. The 23-year-old found the back of the net on the evening and looked good in his overall gameplay.
And, Simeone, who is in Doha, hailed his forward’s performance for the Portuguese national team, insisting that the World Cup was the perfect platform for Felix to display his quality.
“I saw him very well. It’s an ideal tournament for him, short, where you see the beauty, the speed, where you fall in love with players like him. He played with a lot of personality, playing in accordance with what the team needed and he played a part in the three goals,” said Simeone (h/t MARCA).
While Simeone Los Rojiblancos continue to insist that they have faith in Felix, their financial situation means that a lucrative offer for the forward could tempt them into selling the Portuguese international.
The 23-year-old is attracting interest from the likes of PSG and Bayern Munich, while Manchester United are also believed to be keen. A strong run in the World Cup could see Felix attract even more suitors ahead of the January window.
Atletico Madrid News
Atletico Madrid to rival Inter, AC Milan and Roma for 23-year-old centre-forward
Atletico Madrid are set to enter the market for another striker in the summer transfer window even though they signed Memphis Depay in January from Barcelona.
And according to Italian journalist Giacomo Iacobellis, Atletico Madrid are interested in signing 23-year-old striker Mateo Retegui, who is also on the radars of AC Milan, Inter and AS Roma.
Retegui, born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, also has Italian citizenship and has recently been called up by Roberto Mancini to the national team squad for the upcoming UEFA Euro 2024 qualifiers.
The 23-year-old striker is currently plying his trade for Argentine outfit Tigre, on loan from Boca Juniors, having joined in February last year. He has made a solid impression so far in his time with his temporary club and has six goals in seven league appearances this season so far.
It has alerted Atletico Madrid, who are on the lookout for a new centre-forward. Depay was brought in earlier this year to replace Joao Felix, who left on loan and is likely to be sold permanently to Chelsea in the summer.
Having lost Matheus Cunha as well during the winter, Diego Simeone’s side do not have great depth up top, especially with Alvaro Morata not performing consistently. Hence, a new centre-forward could arrive at the Civitas Metropolitano, with Retegui emerging as an option.
Retegui’s loan deal runs until the end of this year, with Tigre having the option to make the transfer permanent. His contract with Boca Juniors expires at the end of December 2024.
Apart from Atletico, Italian clubs like AS Roma, AC Milan and Inter Milan are also keen on the 23-year-old and it remains to be seen if Retegui moves to Europe come summer.
