During the summer, Atletico Madrid tried to sign another midfielder alongside Conor Gallagher, who joined from Chelsea. The idea was that they wanted to sell off Thomas Lemar and pick up a replacement, although as it turned out, it did not happen.
🇦🇷💔 Diego Simeone: "I know there will come a time when either the club or I decide to part ways, whether it’s in a year, in eight years, or in four—I don’t know.
But I also know I will need to allow myself to explore other paths and seek new experiences. What we’ve achieved… pic.twitter.com/01kaK9O7be
— Atletico Universe (@atletiuniverse) December 14, 2024
One player that Atleti tried to sign was Danilo Pereira, and the player himself revealed this during an interview with Le Parisien (via Diario AS).
“I had other options. But they were not possible because PSG rejected many offers. There were talks with Porto and Atletico Madrid. They contacted me in Italy and Germany. But these transfers were blocked for financial reasons. The club asked for a lot of money. Finally, I received this offer from Al-Ittihad and I think it was the right decision.”
Danilo would have been a solid pickup by Atletico Madrid, but in the end, it was not to be. Club bosses are still looking to sign a midfielder, and they will attempt to do so next summer.