Nahuel Molina arrived at Atlético de Madrid with the expectations of being a key and essential piece in the sports project. He has had months of top world-level performance, especially the year after becoming a world champion, but his inconsistency has hurt him. So much so that he has lost the starting position in many phases, being the only pure right-back in the squad.
Marcos Llorente has proven to be more reliable, but Simeone wants to have another right-back in the team. Therefore, according to media like Superdeporte, Atlético de Madrid is interested in a Spanish player. This is Osasuna's right-back, Jesús Areso.
Jesús Areso, the right-back who fits into Atlético's plans
Areso has stood out for his ability to cover the entire flank, both in offensive and defensive tasks. At just 25 years old, the right-back has established himself as one of the most promising players in the Spanish league. His performance last season didn't go unnoticed by the technical departments of several major clubs, and this season he continues to demonstrate his quality. Areso is a young player with great potential for improvement, making him a highly sought-after piece in the market.
Atlético has been closely monitoring his development and is considering Areso as one of the options to strengthen the right-back position. Although Molina has been the starter in that position, the club sees Areso as an alternative that could offer more depth to the team, in addition to his youth.
The competition with Athletic Club
Atlético is not alone in the race to sign Areso. Athletic Club de Bilbao, the team where Areso began his career before returning to Osasuna, has also shown great interest in his incorporation. Athletic's philosophy means that the Bilbao club has always been alert to Osasuna's players.
However, Areso's price has risen considerably, and his release clause, set at 12 million euros, is already falling short of his current value. According to reports, Braulio Vázquez, Osasuna's sporting director, is in negotiations with Areso's representatives to extend his contract and increase his release clause to 20 million euros.