Lucas Torreira picks up the number left by Thomas at Atlético

Lucas Torreira arrives with stripes at Atlético and will also do so with a historic number. The Uruguayan has been registered in the Champions League and on the club's website with the number '5', which has released Thomas with his departure to Arsenal for the amount of the 50 million of his clause during the last day of the transfer market.

The Ghanaian had collected this number in the summer of 2017 after Tiago hung up his boots. The Portuguese had been its carrier for eight consecutive seasons to become one of the pivots that best memory they have left at the Vicente Calderón. And it is that Torreira will find an even greater role than expected from the first day of his signing. The Uruguayan, por the one that there is no option to buy, he only had between eyebrows to play for Atlético, and ended up getting it on the horn, as confirmed by his agent.

But Simeone's initial idea was to join Torreira with Thomas in the double pivot and give him more stripes little by little with the passage of the games. Now, with the departure of the Ghanaian, it is as the only player on the squad used to playing as an anchor, since Saúl, Herrera and Koke perform better higher up and Marcos Llorente has been uncovered as a right inside or second forward despite signing as a theoretical replacement for Rodrigo last season.

Atlético is studying the possibility of incorporating another footballer for that demarcation, with the extra period allowed by LaLiga to sign for the unilateral termination of Thomas' contract. However, it will not be easy as there is a very limited economic situation and an open market only for Spanish competition. Kondogbia is the one chosen to fill that square (the number '4' would be free), but Valencia is not willing to facilitate his departure. For the moment Torreira remains the only natural pivot of the team and he will do so with the '5' on his back, a number with weight and of great relevance.