Atlético has a mine in its quarry: € 400M since 2007

Atlético has one of the most powerful youth teams in the world. Players who, trained in the rojiblanca academy, end up being the best in their respective positions. However, in recent years it is common that once they stand out in the mattress team they end up leaving for millionaire figures that clean up the club's accounts, but entail a loss of identity.

This season, only Koke, Saúl and Manu Sánchez have a first team record like rojiblancos homegrown players. The left-back makes his debut after his good work in the minutes he played last year. However, on the last market day Thomas Partey said goodbye to the team for the amount of 50 million of its clause. The Ghanaian had arrived at the rojiblanca quarry in 2012 and grew in Atleti B until he settled in the first team after his productive assignments to Mallorca and to Almería. Thomas evolved into last season the third player with the most minutes in the squad after Oblak and Saúl, but eventually headed for the Premier League on the horn. This same summer Caio Henrique returned to the club after three assignments in Brazil, but not to stay, if not to leave traded to Monaco for 8 million.

More than 400 million from Torres

A year earlier, Thomas had shared midfield with Rodrigo Hernández. In the case of the Madrilenian, he had returned to the club where he was trained from juvenile to cadet before leaving for the youth of Villarreal. Atlético got their return in the summer of 2018 in exchange for 25 million, but only one season later he headed to Manchester City for the 70 million of his clause. That same summer of 2019 said goodbye Lucas Hernández, another youth squad for which his clause was paid, in the case of the French 80 million. The world champion went to Bayern Munich after having overcome stages as a rojiblanco until he made a hole in Cholo's schemes as a central or left back.

Thus, Thomas's is the third case of a youth player who he leaves for the amount of his clause in just over a year. In that same summer of 2019, Pierre Kunde headed to Mainz for 7.5 million. Looking back, from the transfer of Fernando Torres to Liverpool for 38 million in the summer of 2007, Atlético has added more than 400 million through the sale of players from its quarry. El Niño was the most traumatic exit, the great star of the team and the benchmark of the club in all areas. But economic needs coupled with sports disappointments led the '9' to leave, with the incorporation of players such as Forlán, Raúl García or Simao that same market.

The next great operation of a youth squad would also be heading to the Premier League, with De Gea leaving Atlético thanks to the good level shown in the goal after emerging from the quarry to sign for Manchester United. It was in the summer of 2011 and the reds devils they paid 25 million for him. In between there had been other operations such as the sale of Mario Suárez (€ 0.8M), Roberto (8.5) or Camacho (1.5). One year after the departure of De Gea it would be Alvaro Dominguez the player who came out after training in the mattress quarry (8 million). To exceed ten million, going through the 4 entered by Joel or the 6 again by Roberto, you have to go to the transfer that ended Savic at Atlético in 2015.

In the operation with Fiorentina, the center-back arrived in Madrid with Mario Suarez doing the reverse way. In that operation, the pivot was valued at 15 million, reducing the payment for the Montenegrin. One year later Borja Bastón went to English Swansea for 18 million. A tragic injury in his debut with Atlético's first team weighed down his time as rojiblanco, but with his brilliance during his assignment at Eibar came great interest from the Welsh team. In the summer of 2017 the agreement that closed the signings between Atlético and Real Madrid was broken when the white team took the services of Theo Hernández, Lucas's brother, for 30 million euros, a figure slightly higher than his clause to reach an agreement that does not strain relations between clubs. Oliver Torres, meanwhile, set course for Porto for 20 million after having played on loan for the Portuguese team.

A total of more than 400 million entered since 2007 by footballers who took their first steps in the rojiblanco club, but that they sought other destinations in their career in many cases after having become key players in Atlético (Torres, De Gea, Lucas, Rodrigo, Thomas …) although in other operations they occurred without having reached or having the opportunity to settle in the first mattress team as Theo, Kunde or Borja. A factory of millions, but with the handicap of losing players from the house who have known the rojiblanco beat since they were children and with whom fans can most identify. There will always be Koke and Saúl, who rejected all the offers they have received and who year after year continue to add games to become Atlético's living history.