Atlético Madrid turned around their 2022/23 season after a rough start that led to some (unwisely) questioning the future of legendary manager Diego Simeone.
In the end, led by clear LaLiga Player of the Season frontrunner Antoine Griezmann, Atléti played brilliant football on both ends of the pitch and nearly came in second over rivals Real Madrid.
The goal for next season will be to push for the title and to go further in the Champions League. In order to do that, Atlético Madrid could look to sign one of these ten transfer targets in the summer 2023 window.
Celta Vigo LB Javi Galán: One of the most underrated players in LaLiga, Javi Galán was the star of the Huesca team from the 2020/21 season, and he has been even better for Celta Vigo. Galán is one of the best all-action wide men in Spanish football, constantly winning possession and tirelessly bombing up the flank to make things happen in the final third.
Although Galán was better in previous seasons, he still had a good 2022/23 for an inconsistent Celta side, all things considered. Galán averaged 1.4 key passes, 1.9 dribbles completed, and 2 fouls drawn per game for Los Celestes. Defensively, he had nearly four combined tackles and interceptions per match.
Atlético Madrid have Reinildo and likely Yannick Carrasco, but they could use the more active skill set that Galán provides. He is a class player in LaLiga.
Girona RB Arnau Martínez: An even better potential signing for Atlético Madrid would be Girona’s Arnau Martínez, who was one of a number of young players standing out for the surprise side. In their first season back in LaLiga, Girona finished in the top half of the table, pushing for a European place until the very end.
Arnau proved to be one of the best right backs in the league, and that’s a position where Atléti could use one more option. Just 20 years of age, Arnau scored three goals with four assists for Girona in the 2022/23 season, averaging two fouls drawn per game and over a key pass per match. He is ready to be a star player for one of the “Big 3” in LaLiga.
Roma CB Roger Ibañez: Roger Ibañez isn’t the most consistent center back, but when he’s “on”, he looks like one of the best central defenders in the world. A key part of José Mourinho’s side, Ibañez helped Roma reach the Europa League Final and qualify for the Europa League over Juventus this season in a highly competitive Serie A. If Roma can get him at the right price, he could be another top-class center back to add to their side.
Mallorca AM Lee Kang-In: Lee Kang-In is one of the most valuable young players in LaLiga. He was the clear star of a surprise Mallorca side that finished in the top half of the table and was consistently one of the better sides in the Spanish top flight this past season.
And he did a little bit of everything for Mallorca, playing in a variety of positions for this flexible side. Lee was the main attacking outlet for a side that focused on defending, often having to dribble through many defenders to make something happen. The South Korean star scored six goals with six assists, averaging a ridiculous 2.5 dribbles completed, 1.7 fouls drawn, and 1.5 key passes per game.
By the end of the season, he was legitimately one of the best players in LaLiga. Just 22 years old, Lee deserves a LOT more buzz than he is getting, as he is one of the most skillful and dynamic players in the league. His ability to create danger from nothing would suit how Atlético Madrid play perfectly.
Borussia Mönchengladbach CF Marcus Thuram: Since he is a free agent and has stood out for the past couple of seasons, Marcus Thuram would not be easy for Atlético Madrid to sign amidst competition from the likes of PSG. But he would be a perfect complement to Antoine Griezmann as one of the best all-around strikers in the world, just as capable of assisting as he is of scoring.
Thuram started off the 2022/23 season hot, but Gladbach’s failures doomed him. Striker partner Alassane Pléa turned out to be one of the biggest duds of the Bundesliga campaign, which hurt Thuram. He thrives playing off another forward, which is why a partnership with Griezmann would be so intriguing.
Stuttgart CB Konstantinos Mavropanos: Stuttgart handily won their relegation playoff against Hamburg to stay up in the Bundesliga, and while that would make Konstantinos Mavropanos more difficult to acquire, he is still an achievable transfer target for Atlético Madrid.
When looking at his all-around skill set, aggression, and future upside, Mavropanos might be the best possible center back target for Los Rojiblancos in 2023. Mavropanos is adept at joining the attack and a born ball-winner, having been one of the best center backs of the 2022/23 season in the German top flight. He could be a great understudy before Stefan Savić and José María Giménez, eventually taking over himself.
PSG FW Carlos Soler: A former LaLiga star, Carlos Soler’s transfer from Valencia to PSG last summer always seemed fishy, and it predictably flopped. Soler isn’t a bad player by any means, but he didn’t really have the quality to play on a PSG squad that included Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Hugo Ekitike in the attacking positions.
And really, Soler fits LaLiga better. He isn’t a dynamic forward but is versatile and just gets the job done in a variety of ways. in the attack. He could be a nice depth piece for Atlético Madrid at the right price.
Valencia LB José Gayà: If Atlético Madrid want to prioritize left back to the max, they could go after José Gayá, who has been the most consistent player at the position in LaLiga over the past few seasons. He was, once again, one of the league’s best in the 2022/23 campaign.
Valencia staying up only makes a Gayà transfer even less likely, as he has always remained loyal to the club he captains. But it wouldn’t hurt Atlético Madrid to try for such an accomplished, well-rounded left back.
PSG CM Leandro Paredes: Leandro Paredes is a quality midfielder with real grit and tenacity i the middle of the park, which means he has the profile Diego Simeone likes. He’s a good passer and progressor while being a real bulldog in defense.
The loan move to Juventus didn’t suit Paredes at all. He barely got a chance, struggled when he played, and didn’t fit the Bianconeri. Admittedly, Juve are even more dysfunctional than PSG, where Paredes has been quite good but fell out of favor recently for a number of reasons.
Paredes needs to join a team with a strong manager, a stable structure, and a philosophy that values a midfielder well-versed in the Dark Arts. The 28-year-old could be a strong, buy-low, bounce-back candidate for Los Rojiblancos.
Liverpool CF Roberto Firmino: A move to MLS is probably most likely for Roberto Firmino, but in his limited action for Liverpool this past season after the major signing of Benfica striker Darwin Núñez, the Brazilian center-forward showed he still has the quality to get the job done.
Firmino could be a nice fit for Atlético Madrid as a backup, coming in and linking up with Antoine Griezmann or the other forwards. If Atléti cannot keep long-time standout Álvaro Morata, Firmino is not a bad option to maintain that all-around presence in the attack who makes others better and can come up with a clutch goal when needed. Since Atléti want to get over the Champions League hump, a player with Firmino’s pedigree in that competition isn’t a bad option either.
