Atlético Madrid have never been ones to back down. Far from it, actually. Aggression and grit are as synonymous with Atleti as Diego Simeone himself. This summer, they’ve done more than just enter the ring; they’ve loaded up and packed on muscle.
But this isn’t about muscle for the sake of it. It’s about intent, about knowing exactly where and when to strike. And Atlético have, perhaps quietly and unassumingly, had a hugely impressive summer transfer window where they bolstered the squad with several exciting signings.
After clearing out much of the squad, especially some of the high-earners — namely Álvaro Morata, Stefan Savić, Memphis Depay and Mario Hermoso — it was obvious that Atleti needed to strengthen the squad if they had any hopes of challenging Real Madrid (and to a lesser extent, Barcelona) for the league title.
And strengthen they did, with four high-profile signings that, in all reality, should fit quite nicely into Diego Simeone’s full strength starting XI.
Atlético’s incomings, at the time of writing, include World Cup and Champions League winner Julián Álvarez, Chelsea academy graduate Conor Gallagher, last season’s second-highest La Liga scorer Alexander Sørloth, and EURO 2024 champion Robin Le Normand.
It is also expected that they will complete the signing of French center back Clément Lenglet on loan from Barcelona in the coming days.
On Wednesday night, all four summer signings were presented to a packed Estadio Metropolitano, where over 30,000 fans attended. An impressive turnout for a weekday evening in the middle of summer in Madrid, one that clearly indicates how excited the fans are, rightfully so, for the coming season.
Buenos días 😁 pic.twitter.com/W6M6Ygc6wr
— Atlético de Madrid (@Atleti) August 22, 2024
The thing about these signings is that they’re not just good signings; they’re good Atleti signings. There’s a difference, and it’s one that Diego Simeone knows better than anyone. These aren’t just players — they’re workers, fighters, believers in the system that demands not just skill, but sacrifice.
Álvarez, 24, joined Atletico Madrid from Manchester City in a deal worth up to €95 million, according to The Athletic. He signed a five year deal with Los Rojiblancos and is coming off yet another impressive season, where despite being backup to City’s Erling Haaland, he still shone in a number of positions.
With 19 goals and 13 assists last season, the Argentine brings a spark, a touch of genius that can turn a game on its head. But it’s not just his flair; it’s his tenacity that makes him that atypical Simeone forward. With shades of fellow Atleti maverick Antoine Griezmann in him, this is clearly a signing not just for the present, but for the future as well.
After a tumultuous summer, it finally turns out that Chelsea’s (self-imposed) loss will be Atlético’s gain. The Athletic reported a deal was agreed for Gallagher, also 24, for a fee of €42 million. After a positive season where he captained a struggling Chelsea side, the Englishman was shockingly informed that was surplus to requirements and that a sale would be best for all parties.
And so he arrived in the Spanish capital, and after some uncertainty, he is here to stay. All heart and energy, Gallagher is the “new lung for midfield”, the one who will chase down every loose ball as if it were his last.
Le Normand, who enjoyed a victorious EURO 2024 campaign with Spain, completed his move from La Liga rivals Real Sociedad for a fee of roughly €30 million, according to ESPN. In the wake of losing wildly unpredictable defensive presences in Savic and Hermoso, Le Normand will no doubt provide a much-needed air of composed stability; the kind of no-nonsense defending that Atlético are built on.
And then there’s Sørloth, who signed a four-year deal from Villarreal for a fee of €32 million. The Norwegian enjoyed a prolific La Liga campaign last season, scoring 23 goals, just second behind Girona’s Artem Dovbyk. He is the archetypical Atleti striker if there was only ever one, in the mold of Diego Costa, Luis Suarez and many more. A towering presence, a battering ram whose strength so perfectly complements the grace of Griezmann and Álvarez.
This is more than a squad overhaul though. This is a declaration that Atlético are not content merely existing in the shadow of the giants. They are here to push and challenge, to disrupt the undisrupted. La Liga knows it, and Europe will too.
The success of their season may not be predicated solely on winning the league, which, make no mistake, is an incredibly hard thing to do. It will depend as much on what they achieve as how they go about achieving it. A surmountable challenge for the league title, a deep run, and who knows, perhaps trophy in Europe; all possible. But we are yet to see how quickly Simeone can get his new players to sing those old Colchoneros tunes.
These players, for better or for worse, just feel like they are Atlético. Not just because of what they can do with the ball at their feet, but because of what they’re willing to do without it. The work, the hustle, the grind, the sheer bloody-mindedness. That’s the difference.
This isn’t just a summer of spending. It’s a statement: Atlético Madrid are here to challenge, and they’ve armed themselves well for the battle ahead.