Atlético is experiencing a transfer market in full calm. So far in the first team there has only been a change of stickers in the goal: Ivo Grbic by Adam. Also Caio Henrique has left transferred to Monaco after having recovered him from his assignment to the Guild. Now the incorporations are waiting for you outputs occur.
But since Simeone's arrival at the club in December 2011, operations to incorporate players have been common. A total of 66, with Spain (20) and Portugal (16) as the main markets. Some have had a fantastic performance (Griezmann, Oblak, Giménez …) and others did not meet expectations (Jackson, Gaitán, Lemar …). But directly 10 of the 66 players signed by the club have not made their debut, 15% of the signings in this period. Some of them, especially Nehuén, have time to do it. Of course, in several cases they left transferred leaving more money in the box than they cost.
Nehuén Pérez: returns from loan and his future is in the air
The Argentine central signed in the winter market of 2018 for 2.5 million. After a few months training under Simeone's orders, left on loan to the Portuguese Famalicao, where it has developed all its virtues. At 20 years old, it is one of the most promising power plants in the world and Ajax was close to getting his services for 25 million before the coronavirus health crisis. Now it remains to be seen if he stays, in the event that any of the centrals leaves in the squad or a club is sought in the form of a loan or transfer. At Famalicao he has shown character, positioning, passing game and great security despite his age. Captaining the Argentine U23 team he also qualified for the Olympic Games with a fantastic performance.
Nicolás Ibáñez: the forward of San Luis
Atlético announced last summer that it became the owner of the Argentine striker who plays for the Mexican red-and-white branch. During the past summer he already suffered, since he beat Oblak in the draw between the two rojiblancos teams. A scorer with resources in the area and a great header, who in the 2018-19 season scored 22 goals in 42 games, last season he scored 14 in 28 and at the beginning of this season he has three goals in seven games. It does not seem likely that he will ever wear the Atlético shirt, although at 26 he could be transferred to a European club.
Jonny Otto: signed for 7 million and sold for 20
The full-back signed from Celta in the summer of 2018, but he did not get to put on the red and white shirt before leaving on loan to Wolverhampton. LaLiga's budget control prevented Atlético from registering footballers, but a left-back who being right-handed could also play in the opposite lane without problems as a market opportunity. In his first season at the Wolves he played 39 games, something that served to debut with the National Team and that led the English club to face his transfer for about 20 million. In his second year he was indisputable, with 48 games played (two goals) before suffering a serious knee injury. Jonny could have been a resource for the two mattress backs.
Diogo Jota: signed for 7 million and traded for 14
The Portuguese arrived at the club as a young promise in the summer of 2016. He had shone at Paços Ferreira with 18 years, scoring 14 goals in 35 games as far left. Diogo Jota did carry out the preseason with Atlético, getting to score in the friendly against Crotone, but the arrival of Gaitán at the same time as the great star of the Portuguese league left him without a place. He left on loan to Porto, playing an important role and scoring nine goals in 38 games under Nuno. The Portuguese coach himself would ask Wolverhampton to take over his services to try for promotion. On his loan to the English team scored 18 goals in 46 games, completely unbalancing and one of the stars of the return to the Premier. The Wolves exercised the purchase option for 14 million and they kept the Portuguese in property. Last season Jota scored 16 goals, 7 in the Premier and 9 in the Europa League, something that helps you stay focused with the Portuguese team with João Félix. At 23 years old, by level he could have had a chance at Atlético.
Demichelis: signed free, left in exchange for Alderweireld (7 million)
The case of the Argentine is one of the most curious. He had left three great seasons at EuroMálaga and at the end of his contract in 2013 signed for Atlético with the approval of Simeone, who saw in his compatriot a fantastic veteran to fight the place with Godín and Miranda. After conducting the preseason, Manchester City launched into his signing, convincing the player. Atlético received in exchange Alderweireld from Ajax in a transfer estimated at about seven million. With the Belgian it would end conquering LaLiga, while Demichelis spent three great years at City before returning to Spain, Espanyol and Málaga where he hung up his boots.
Santos Borré: signed for 2.7 million and sold 50% for 3.5
The Colombian arrived a year before Diogo Jota and it has been a similar case. Signed as a very young promise in 2015, in his case at 20 years old, Borré has made a lot of progress in his career after a first assignment at Villarreal. River bought half of his pass and has exploded in the last two seasons as a second forward. The last, with 17 goals in 29 games, something that has caused Atlético to consider buying back the player, either to keep him or to sell him again, although it seems that this will not be the case. Borré has a great poster in South America.
Roberto Jiménez: signed for 6 million and transfer for another 6
Very strange was the case of Roberto in 2013, when Courtois was the starting goalkeeper on loan from Chelsea. Benfica transferred him to Atlético for six million, but without actually training he went to Olympiacos, who would end up paying another six million for him. Since then he has played in the Espanyol, Málaga, West Ham and now he will do it at Valladolid. His name came to appear as a possible replacement for Adam this summer.
André Moreira: Signed for 0.3 million and went free
The Portuguese goalkeeper has been a ghost in the club. He has been linking assignments without leaving Atlético until last summer, where his poor progression led the club to terminate his contract. Signed in 2014, went on to become Oblak's substitute in the 2016-17 season, but it never got to debut. In between he went out to Moreirense, União Madeira, Belenenses, Sporting de Braga, Aston Villa, Feirense and Belenenses again in all of them as transferred until finally staying in the latter.
Velázquez: Signed for 1.1 million and went free
With Emiliano Velázquez he sought an operation similar to that of Giménez. Signed in the summer of 2014 also from the Danube, it did not have the draft of its compatriot. He did not wear the red and white shirt and he began to link assignments to try to prove himself. First at Getafe, then at Sporting de Braga and finally at Rayo, where it has taken root. The Uruguayan has established himself as a center-back in the Vallecano team and at the age of 26 aspires to return to play in the First Division.
Bernard Mensah: Incorporated for 6 million and sold for 3
The Ghanaian had uncovered with his good season at Vitoria de Guimaraes and signed for Atlético in 2015. A midfielder with arrival, round trip and very young. However, on his first day at the office, he realized that it was not going to be easy. In his first session with Profe Ortega, he ended up vomiting on the Cerro del Espino grass. Atlético was looking for him to loan Let's see if he uncovered those characteristics that had been seen in Portuguese football, but the African never exploded. Neither in Getafe (10 games) nor on his return to Guimaraes was it the same again. He found a place in Turkish football, first at Kasimpasa and then at Kayserispor, that ended up getting their services. This season, at the age of 25, he will play on loan for Besiktas.