Johnny Cardoso was revealed officially by Atlético Madrid. Atlético signed Johnny from Real Betis for around 30 million euros for a 23-year-old midfielder, agreeing to a contract of five years. As part of the deal, a sell-on clause from Betis was included that would be exercised later, which can payout a percentage back to the club if he gets sold to another team. It is a humongous contract for Johnny, but even a good one for the USMNT well over twice.
He joined Spain early in 2024 and was a perfect fit. In a year and a half, he played 65, scored six, and got three assists. He played assuredly even in big matchups and came to be prominently noticed for his displays against Atlético, where his energy, timing, and pure exuberance came through. Simeone took notice. He was watched by the club for weeks, and signing his name to the contract with Betis was the final piece of a deal that took pace slowly behind the scene.
This was the last year that Atlético didn't possess a midfield that was Simeone-believed-in. Johnny puts some of all of that together at the same time. He can read the game, he is a small defender, he plays possession football, he presses off of the ball. He fits perfectly for a midfield already crowded with Barrios, Koke, Gallagher and De Paul, even if De Paul is going to depart imminently. The roster still might lose another name to that position, but Johnny comes with that hope that he might occupy that position today.
He'll be seen to come through preseason healthy and able to vie for playing minutes through the early months of La Liga. He’s not given a starting label, but he is more than a replacement. He is a legitimate candidate for a piece of the field that is arguably being redefined.
It is a large investment opportunity
Leaving Betis for Atlético is not a shift from demands, but a complete shift of atmosphere. It gets more heated, more competitive, more demanding. That prize, though, is bigger, too. Johnny gets week-in, week-out football for a team that scrapes honours from the ground, gets a place in the Champions League, that demands a maximum from midfield week-in, week-out.
Atlético philosophy values players of naive tact but willing scrap for every square yard of ground. That is Johnny football. He is disciplined, covers a lot of ground with enthusiasm, and hardly gets shaken off under pressure. He is barely more than a young man but already a regular. He played La Liga tempo at Betis. If he can sustain that level of standards for a more ambitious team with limited tolerance for errors only time can tell.
What It Could Portend for the USMNT
Johnny was a regular on the USA men’s national team roster for years but never filled a starting role. So far, he only came off the bench behind players such as McKennie, Adams and Musah. This contract could see that trend turn around.
Playing for a giant club for a big-leagues European outfit never fails to draw national team coaches' attention. And with the 2026 World Cup coming sooner rather than later, the USMNT requires midfielders that are fit, match-cultural and tough-as-nails. If Johnny gets actual minutes for Atlético, he is a different caliber of candidate. He can have balance, pressure composure and shrewd positioning, which are traits that are desired for major international tournaments.
The national team coaches are closely watching. Joining a Simeone team, which demands heavily from players but educates players on discipline, is being considered a giant step for Johnny’s career. If he gets settled, he can be a candidate for a starting place sooner than most anticipate.