José María Giménez (25 years old) is one of the strongholds of the mattress defense. The charrúa celebrates today that seven years ago he was introduced as an Atlético player after a difficult season in which he has missed several games due to injury. The central has participated in a total of 26 meetings with Simeone's team (21 from LaLiga, four from the Champions League and one from the Copa del Rey), adding 2060 minutes in which he has not scored any goals and has given an assist. Stresses that, despite being central, has only received three warnings throughout the campaign.
Giménez signed in the summer of 2013 being unknown to the general public. He came from the Danube of his country with just 18 years and he had to compete with centrals like Miranda, Alderweireld and Godín. The latter, without a doubt, It has been a key piece for the evolution of Josema in the club, since they share nationality, which, beyond facilitating adaptation, allowed them to play together not only at Atlético, but also with Uruguay. This contributed to that their rapport was absolute in the time they shared under Cholo's orders.
That first season was acclimatization for the Charrúa, who he only played three games, counting 205 minutes in total as it is the central room of the team. However, the subsequent campaign, Giménez was already gaining weight in Simeone's schemes when climbing a step in the ranks of the mattress rear. He played 28 games between all competitions (2419 ’) and scored two goals. The following year Miranda left and Savic arrived, but Josema took the starting position accompanying his compatriot and friend Godín in the center of the rear. That course he participated in 37 duels (3,270 ’) and scored a goal.
The 2016-17 season Giménez lost weight in Cholo's plans in favor of Savic due to injuries and he reduced his minutes to 1993 divided into 29 games between all competitions in which he scored a target. In the 2017-18 campaign it was important again and he left the game in 38 games with 2920 'and two goals. Last season he was the second central defender in minutes with 2323 in 29 games, scoring two goals.
In these seven years of stay at Atlético, Giménez has been part of one of the most fruitful stages of the club in terms of titles of recent times. Since your arrival, the rojiblancos have won a League (2013-14), a Spanish Super Cup (2014), a Europa League (2017-18) and a European Super Cup (2018).
This has not gone unnoticed by the big clubs in Europe, especially from the English Premier League. The charrúa is one of the most sought-after power plants in the old continent (Transfermarkt valued at 56 million euros, the fifth tied with Lucas Hernández and only surpassed by Van Dijk, De Ligt, Varane and Laporte). Precisely the latter's club, Guardiola's Manchester City, is one of the teams that has Giménez on their priority list. Last 20th in Ace we echoed the information published by ‘The Times’ in which it was assured that Pep would like to shore up the rear citizen with the Uruguayan.
Are not the skyblues the only ones who want to remove Giménez from Atlético. According to ‘The Telegraph’ Chelsea, Coached by Frank Lampard, he also wants to strengthen his defense center and has Josema among the candidates to fill that gap. However, neither Mancunians nor Londoners will have a simple (or cheap) goal, since the Uruguayan is happy in Madrid and has a contract until June 30, 2023 with a termination clause of 120 million euros.