With the end of last season, two important figures in recent years for Diego Pablo Simeone were said goodbye. Stefan Savić headed to Turkey, while Mario Hermoso finished his contract without finding a new team, a situation that still persists. This has caused the defence to be left without players and in need of reinforcements.
The first of them was Robin Le Normand , who joined the Atlético de Madrid ranks a little later than expected after the European Championships ended. However, there is still another position to fill in the defensive line and Atlético de Madrid is aware of this.
Options for the center
Leaving aside the possibility that Mario Hermoso could re-sign a contract with the Colchoneros, the options are the following according to Matteo Moretto, a journalist from Relevo. First and most unlikely, Aymeric Laporte. The compatriot of Le Normand and Hermoso has an exorbitant salary at Al-Nassr - 24 million euros gross - and it makes his departure from the Arab club very difficult.
Another, more viable option is Piero Hincapié , a name that has already been mentioned several times as a possible arrival at the red and white disciplines and is very popular in the sporting management. He has been an undisputed starter for three years at Bayer Leverkusen and in his last season a defensive bastion, even winning the Bundesliga. Under the orders of Xabi Alonso, his growth has been exponential, to the point of being mentioned for some of the best teams in Europe.
David Hancko is the next name on the list and perhaps the player who has been most explicit in his desire to join Atlético Madrid next season. The Slovakian centre-back had a remarkable Euro Cup and has become an important part of Feyenoord in recent seasons. However, the stumbling block here is his own club, which will not budge on his 35 million euro release clause.
The last of this long list of suitors is the most unexpected (until the first rumours came out), Clément Lenglet . The Barcelona centre-back - yes, he still plays for the Blaugrana club - is a reject from the sporting management and they need to find a place for him. Not only because he doesn't count for the current coach, but also because of his excessive salary.
Those famous 'Bartomeu contracts' are still weighing down the economy of a club in economic decline. According to Matteo Moretto himself, it is the easiest solution for the red-and-whites. Nothing has been done, but the parties are reportedly negotiating how to deal with the signing of the French centre-back, since Villarreal has dropped out of the bidding for him.
This is all the information that is known so far. We will see how the negotiations end and who will be the lucky one to occupy the position of a key player for Simeone's teams.