MADRID, 4 Sep. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Belgian footballer Yannick Carrasco officially became this Monday a new footballer for Al Shabab of Saudi Arabia, to which he arrives from Atlético de Madrid, to which he had returned in 2020 to live a second stage in which he had become a key player for Diego Pablo Simeone.
The Saudi team made the signing of the international official, news that had been expected for several days and that seemed to have been assumed by the Argentine coach himself, as he acknowledged last Saturday at a press conference. “He needed to go out, but it’s not yet official. Whenever we’ll meet there in Riyadh to have a coffee and give each other a hug because I love him and he’s a boy who gave us a lot,” said ‘Cholo’.
Carrasco landed in the summer of 2015 in the Madrid team from AS Monaco and his figure grew with the passing of the matches. The Belgian was the author of the 1-1 draw in the 2016 Champions League final against Real Madrid and in his second campaign he improved his performance.
However, in the winter market of 2017-2018, the winger decided to head to Chinese football in February 2018 to play for Daliang Yinfang. He spent practically two years in China, at which time Atlético decided to give him a new opportunity by getting him on loan. “I really liked his desire to come to Atleti. When you find a player who has that desire, it is an important step for what can happen later,” Simeone admitted then.
The mattress team was satisfied with his performance in the pandemic season and chose to sign him again with a four-year contract. Carrasco responded to this trust and was key since then in a club with which he was proclaimed league champion in 2021 and with which he enjoyed the minutes that Simeone gave him, who made him a left winger when he modified his drawing to three central defenders. As an Atlético footballer, the Belgian leaves with 266 games played, with 47 goals and 45 assists.