One of the pending tasks for the sports management is related to the future of some of its players, whose contracts expire next June. Some veterans, obviously, will not continue at Atlético de Madrid as they are considered to have completed a cycle, such as Axel Witsel and César Azpilicueta. Others haven't made a decision yet, as everything would depend on how the team finishes the season in terms of titles.
These are very important decisions, as the vacancies that remain will need to be filled by new signings once the summer transfer window opens. The defense is the main focus, as it is the area of the field where the most departures could occur at the Metropolitano, requiring reliable replacements. However, there is one name that was expected to leave, but whose future seems to have taken a radical turn in recent hours, surprisingly pointing toward renewing his contract.
Simeone Counts on Him
Atlético de Madrid has a path full of hope for the upcoming season, a path that began to be built in the last summer transfer window. The team has made a considerable leap in quality this season, genuinely competing for all titles and showing good play on the field. Demonstrating their ambition, the team wants to complete this process, starting by improving the team this January.
Meanwhile, in the offices of the Metropolitano, they are searching for their desired reinforcement, and in the renewal section, there is a very important development for the defense. According to the outlet Atleti Stream, Reinildo is said to have an agreement with the club to extend his contract with the Madrid entity, something that seemed distant. It was revealed a few days ago in MARCA that there was an automatic renewal in case he played at least 45 minutes in 20 matches during the entire season.
Competition in Defense
So far, the improvement in the defense is evident thanks to the signings of Robin Le Normand and Clement Lenglet, both decisive in recent months. Additionally, Javi Galán has stepped up, allowing him to secure a starting position and forcing Simeone to change his formation from 5-3-2 to 4-4-2. Precisely, the Extremaduran has benched a Reinildo who started as a key player but lost prominence by not finding his best form.
Despite this, there are many central defenders who have been linked with Atlético de Madrid since last summer, all of a high level. Cristhian Mosquera (Valencia), Piero Hincapié (Bayer Leverkusen), or Sam Beukema (Bologna) are some of the names that have emerged in recent months. The reality is that the defense will need to be reinforced with two or more pieces to compensate for the departures that will surely occur, barring any surprises.