Edinson Cavani: The ultimate Simeone signing that came too late

According to Bleacher Report, PSG striker Edinson Cavani has agreed on a deal with Atlético Madrid, who have been a longtime admirer of the Uruguayan.

Atlético Madrid are struggling to discover their identity in this new era. Are they still the defensive luchadores in the vision of Diego Simeone that grind out results, or have they turned over a new leaf with signings like João Félix?

After struggling for much of the first half of the season, it appears Atleti will turn to a player they’ve admired for years and a seamless fit for the club: Edinson Cavani.

The 32-year old forward has struggled for consistency at PSG this season following the arrival and success of Mauro Icardi. For Atleti, signing Cavani is a commitment to the old Simeone way. He’s a tall, clinical pure finisher built in the mould of former club greats such as Radamel Falcao and Diego Costa.

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Although he’s a perfect fit for the teams of old, which won La Liga and reached two Champions League finals, this appears to be a very win-now type of mentality, contradictory to what Simeone has stressed for nearly the entirety of the season.

Although the club’s hierarchy seem to want to commit to attack-minded football and building a project for the future, Simeone seems to always fall back into his old self and try to defend out a 1-0 result. That’s left his team caught between two minds for much of the season, and given the inconsistency of Costa’s play, bringing in Cavani does have some merits, although it sends a clear signal.

Whether a 32-year old Cavani can continue to score goals at an elite rate in a team known for defensive football remains to be seen. He will improve the team in the short run, but its a move that throws the long term in doubt, especially regarding the playtime and development of forwards such as Félix.

He does have the backing of one former Atlético legend, however. Fellow Uruguayan striker Diego Forlán, who won a European Golden Boot at the club has backed Cavani as a brilliant signing for the capital club.

"He and the club would suit each other very well,” Forlán said per Marca. “It seems to me like a signing for immediate performance, which is what Simeone needs at the moment. I think that by signing [Cavani] Atleti would take another step towards completing their objectives for this season and those they’ll face in the following campaigns.”"

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While I don’t disagree that Cavani would succeed at the Wanda Metropolitano, it once again calls into question the long-term direction of the club under El Cholo. Stuck between these two identities, if Atleti want to return to their title-winning best that has defined their best decade of recent memory, they must make a decision: whether to back what has gotten them to this point or to acknowledge the Simeone way for establishing them as a top club but move on into the modern era of attacking football.

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