Second chance for Simeone

The economic straits of Atlético de Madrid are on the way to granting a second chance to Diego Pablo Simeone and a large part of what is described as the best squad in history to make up for their mediocre last season.

The coach, players and management admit that the level of the 2020/21 League champion squad, reinforced by Griezmann, De Paul and Cunha, was more than enough to get out of the fight for the league title in November, achieve a rushed third place, fall in the round of 16 of the Cup and save the honor by reaching the quarterfinals of the Champions League.

Simeone must refine himself to find the key with which he did not hit last year and his soccer players must raise individual and collective performance.

Exceeding the club in salary expenses due to the 85 million losses generated in the coffers by the impact of the covid, the economic control of LaLiga forces Atlético to apply the three-for-one rule.

That is to say: only a third of his new income can be allocated to transfers in a budget in which the salary mass of the coaching staff and the squad, which exceeds 300 million euros, accounts for two thirds of the total.

Under that suffocating financial condition, and two weeks into the preseason, Simeone only has for the moment the incorporation of the Belgian midfielder Axel Witsel (33 years old), not yet officialized, and the forced returns of Saúl and Álvaro Morata.

The first receives about seven million euros net and the second is close to ten.

Saúl, without a market, returns from his loan to Chelsea with the aim of rediscovering himself with the player he was.

In the club they slip an enthusiasm in the player who will be put to the test if Simeone edges him to the left side.

When he left for London he was content to be allowed to train as a midfielder, although Tuchel later also used him on more than one occasion as a winger.

Morata's case is even trickier.

At Atlético they take it for granted that he will stay once the deadlines for Juventus to exercise the purchase option of 35 million euros have been met.

Neither the striker had his return as a first option nor did the coach.

One and the other will have no choice but to accept if the market so decides.

The club wields its condition that it will be the nine of Spain in the next World Cup to guarantee his permanence.

The problem is that Morata has reached that unquestionable role in the national team due to the blind confidence that Luis Enrique has shown him.

Competition from João Félix, Griezmann, Correa and Cunha awaits him in this Atlético.

Witsel is an old goal of the red and white sports management from when he played for Benfica.

As with Luis Suárez in his time at Liverpool, the club could not afford to hire him because his market value was marked by the 50 million euros paid by Zenit Saint Petersburg.

Entering the final stretch of his career, the Belgian midfielder will arrive free after finishing his contract with Borussia Dortmund.

Witsel as reality

Under these parameters, the sports director, the Italian Andrea Berta, is obliged to move this summer.

The signing has not yet materialized despite the progress of the negotiations, there are still those at the club who fear that a superior last-minute offer from an English club could bring about another case like that of Boubacar Kamara (22 years old).

This, highlighted in Marseille as one of the great promises of French football, was the first choice to be the midfielder who competed with Kondogbia.

He was also free and there was a closed agreement with him until Aston Villa generously raised the emoluments he would receive at Atlético.

Simeone has given Witsel the go-ahead as a high-ranking footballer whose legs are not supposed to bend in high places.

After Rodrigo's departure to Manchester City, the Argentine coach has not finished finding a stable midfielder.

From the Belgian it is expected that he can squeeze the year plus another optional that he will sign.

Taking Witsel's arrival for granted, Simeone's other great concern is the search for a reliable right back that will allow him not to have to shoot Marcos Llorente again for that demarcation.

With the aforementioned economic restrictions, Andrea Berta diligently searches the market to find a high-level right-back under the formula of a loan plus purchase option.

The Portuguese Semedo, from Wolverhampton, is another Simeone longing that could come under these conditions due to the close relationship that his agent, Jorge Mendes, maintains with the leadership.

His compatriot Nahuel Molina (Udinese) is also among Cholo's preferences, but his price soars above 30 million euros.

In addition, Vrasljko, in search of his last contract, has rejected the club's downward offer, so the position is also left without a replacement for the starter.

The urgent signing of Daniel Wass in the last winter market to cover the traumatic departure of Kieran Trippier does not convince Simeone.

The technician thinks that defensively he does not give him what he demands.

However, everything indicates, as in the cases of Mora and Saúl, that he will have to grant him the same second chance that he and the rest of the squad have.

Only the sale of the most sought-after will allow signing

The condition of having to dedicate only a third of the new income to transfers in order not to break the economic control of LaLiga has Atlético handcuffed to satisfy Simeone's demand for reinforcements.

Right now, only the sales of some of its most sought-after soccer players (Oblak, João Félix, Carrasco, Marcos Llorente and Correa) could help the club go to the market with enough liquidity to face hiring.

However, in principle, that is not the club's plan and neither is Simeone's.

Only by paying their high clauses would the club be forced to part with some of these five players.

Lemar is still an attractive piece in the Premier League, but his contract ends next season and the entity has already realized that there are no clubs that are willing to pay what he asks to amortize the 70 million euros for 70% of the pass that in his day he paid Monaco.

The 85 million euros of losses generated by the covid have left Atlético tied hand and foot.

Addressing the signing of Valencian player Carlos Soler, to whom Simeone has given the go-ahead, right now is impossible if more income is not generated.

The marches of Luis Suárez, Herrera and Vrsaljko have only discounted salary mass, which has been covered with Morata and Saúl.

As for the sale of players, what Atlético collects from sponsorship is also subject to the aforementioned one by three.

In the event that the new sponsor of the stadium contributes 15 million euros -Wanda put about 10-, only five may be allocated to signings.

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