Atletico Madrid Recruitment - Part 2
In the second part of this two part series, we take a look at some players Atletico Madrid should target.
This is part two of a 2-part series covering Atletico’s rebuilding project and the club’s trajectory. You can find Part 1 here. Our transfer recruitment methodology can be found here.
In Part 1 we looked at some of the problems that Atletico Madrid have faced in the 2019/20 season. Part 2 will look at exploring options that would help alleviate some of those problems.
Overview & Squad Needs
In Part 1, we identified four areas that Atletico Madrid need to strengthen: Improved centre-back depth, starting left winger, a prolific striker and a potential Thomas Partey replacement, if he leaves. We will be looking at players to fill the latter three. Due to budgetary constraints, and the financial situation, we will assume Atletico Madrid don’t have the budget to satisfy all four requirements, with the CB position arguably the least pressing.
To summarize, here are the requirements for each of the positions based on Atletico Madrid’s tactical style and needs:
Left Winger: Good dribbler and ball carrier, high volume chance creator and incisive passer from wide areas.
Striker: Prolific striker with good hold-up play.
Thomas Partey Replacement: Stylistically similar to Thomas Partey. Euclidean distance was used to find the most similar players to Thomas Partey
With the aforementioned requirements in mind, we used several relevant metrics to narrow down our list of players into a shortlist of 5 for each position. Figure 1 shows the final 5-man shortlists, as well as the players expected to leave the club this summer with a final budget also established.
Figure 1: Atletico Madrid Transfer Shortlist
Position Number 1: Striker
Atletico desperately need a more clinical striker than Diego Costa or Alvaro Morata. With the way Diego Simeone sets his side up, as well as what he asks his striker, they need someone who can hold-up play and link-up well, and most importantly a striker who is clinical in front of goal. Based on their underlying metrics, as well as further video scouting, we have identified the following three players as suitable for the striker position at Atletico Madrid: Odsonne Edouard, Duvan Zapata and Andre Silva.
Odsonne Edouard:
Edouard has been a revelation for his Celtic side over the past 2 seasons. The 22 year-old already possesses a remarkably well rounded offensive game. He combines his remarkable technique and attacking intelligence with incredible speed and strength.
Age: 22
Club: Celtic (SPL)
Estimated Cost: €35m
2019/20 League Appearances: 27
2019/20 League Goals: 25
Key Strengths:
Dribbling and technical ability. Edouard is great on the ball and extremely capable of dribbling and passing out of tight areas.
Combination play. Edouard has developed a great understanding with his teammates. From dummies, to off the ball runs, to great hold-up play and passing, he is extremely well rounded and a very good facilitator.
Fast and decent in the air. Physically great.
Areas of Concern:
Composure. Although Edouard is an excellent finisher, particularly from inside the box and from tight angles, he can often miss the easiest of chances.
Style of Play:
We expect him to be an excellent partner to Felix in Atletico’s usual 4-4-2. He is comfortable dropping deep and setting up his teammates whenever possible, as well as holding up play in transitions. Edouard also likes to run in and play on the shoulder of the last defender to get on the end of through balls. He is extremely well rounded and versatile to different styles of play, crucial as Atletico Madrid alter their play frequently depending on the opponent.
Figure 2 below summarizes his statistical profile, as well as examples of certain strengths and weaknesses.
Duvan Zapata:
Zapata has been deadly in front of goal for Atalanta over the last two seasons. The Colombian is a very well-rounded goalscorer who is capable of scoring in a variety of ways. He possesses predatory instincts inside the box.
Age: 29
Club: Atalanta B.C. (Serie A)
Estimated Cost: €47m
2019/20 League Appearances: 25
2019/20 League Goals: 18
Key Strengths:
A truly excellent finisher. Zapata is such an accomplished and well rounded finisher and goal scorer. Capable of scoring with either foot and head (he has over-performed his xG with all three) as well as from different angles.
Setting up teammates. Zapata is great at playing through balls and setting up his teammates for chances. He is especially dangerous when running the channels and drilling the ball into the area.
Areas of Concern:
Hold-up play. Although not particularly weak, Zapata’s hold-up play is without a doubt the weakest aspect of his game, with him preferring to run in behind and into the channels.
Defensive work-rate. There are question marks over his defensive work rate, an important area considering the way Simeone sets his team up in certain games.
Style of Play:
Zapata will instantly make Atletico Madrid a more dangerous team in front of goal, he has been one of the best finishers in Europe’s Top 5 Leagues over the past couple of seasons. He is a significantly better goalscorer than anyone in their team. Playing in a fluid Atalanta team, Zapata looks to run the channels, usually playing as the left-sided striker, as he is extremely dangerous when getting behind the defensive line and getting close to the area or running that left channel. He is also good in the air and creates high quality chances for his teammates, particularly from low crosses and sharp play around the area. There is a concern over how he would adapt going from one of Europe’s most fluid teams to a more rigid system at Atletico, while his hold-up play is a slight concern.
Figure 3 below summarizes his statistical profile, as well as examples of certain strengths and weaknesses.
Andre Silva:
It has been a tough couple of years Andre Silva, he went from Portugal’s next superstar to forgotten man, but he has had a brilliant bounce back season in Germany. Andre Silva has a knack for being in the right place at the right time. He is a versatile forward who combines well with teammates, drifts to wide channels and has a poacher’s instincts in-and-around the box.
Age: 24
Club: Eintracht Frankfurt (Bundesliga)
Estimated Cost: €30m
2019/20 League Appearances: 26
2019/20 League Goals: 12
Key Strengths:
Composure and movement. Silva is very composed in front of goal and has an uncanny ability of being in the right place at the right time.
Attacking interplay. Silva links up well with his teammates through his clever combination play.
Defensive work-rate. Silva is hard worker off the ball and good presser.
Areas of Concern:
Dribbling. An extremely predictable dribbler, he is unlikely to unsettle quality centre-backs in 1v1 situations.
Style of Play:
Very much a player who does his best work close to goal, Silva is a player who thrives in and around the penalty area, often showcasing great movement in those areas. Alongside that, his predatory instincts, both in his finishing and movement, will be a welcome sight for Atletico Madrid. Despite doing his best work near the area, Silva also has a tendency to drift into wider areas in transition and build-up to create overloads for his side and help his team progress the ball, with his good technique allowing him to do so with a good degree of comfort. This will particularly help Felix and create spaces for him. While he is not the target man Simeone generally prefers (drifts often while he has a tendency of losing possession cheaply at times), he does tick many of the boxes Atletico would need from their striker.
Figure 4 below summarizes his statistical profile, as well as examples of certain strengths and weaknesses.
Position Number 2: Left Winger
The second need identified was a creative, ball carrying left-winger. Atletico have often fielded a central midfielder here, due to both tactical reasons and form of other players. As explained previously, Thomas Lemar in particular has been disappointing. Yannick Carrasco has done a superb job in that role during his brief loan spell, and Atletico would surely prefer to make that permanent. However should Atletico be unable to make the move permanent, we’ve identified 3 other targets: Harvey Barnes, Josip Brekalo and Felipe Anderson.
Harvey Barnes:
Fresh from being a key player for Leicester in 2019/20, Barnes has emerged as one of the brightest wingers in the Premier League last season. Barnes’ pace and goal-scoring instincts make him an interesting prospect for Atletico. He can be a devastating outlet in counter-attacking situations.
Age: 22
Club: Leicester City (Premier League)
Estimated Cost: €32m
2019/20 League Appearances: 36
2019/20 League Goals: 6
2019/20 League Assists: 7
Key Strengths:
Pace. Barnes is blessed with incredible pace, making him a great outlet in wide areas with his dribbling and directness.
Scoring. Scoring 6 goals from the wings last season, Barnes has proven to be a good goalscorer. Has has a knack for getting for cutting inside and getting on the end of cutbacks.
Areas of Concern:
Weak foot. Barnes is very one-footed in that he doesn’t use his left foot as much as he should, making him predictable in 1v1 situations.
Crossing. His reluctance to cross as often as he should with his left foot when he is unable to cut inside, means he can waste good crossing opportunities.
Style of Play:
Direct and particularly dangerous in counters, Barnes excelled for Leicester last season. Starting on the left-wing, Barnes likes to cut inside onto his right foot and looks to link-up often with James Maddison and play Jamie Vardy through. He has also shown a knack for arriving late into the box and getting on the end of cutbacks and good goalscoring opportunities. His pace and final third impact mean he can fill a much needed role at Atletico and would be an excellent wide outlet for them, especially in transition. He is not a very incisive passer, instead relying on his directness, something that could be cause for concern for Atletico when facing deeper blocks.
Figure 5 below summarizes his statistical profile, as well as examples of certain strengths and weaknesses.
Josip Brekalo:
Josip Brekalo is an incredibly unpredictable dribbler. The combination of his speed, technique, and 2-footedness make him very difficult to defend 1v1. He is somewhat inconsistent but is an interesting option for Atletico Madrid.
Age: 22
Club: VFL Wolfsburg (Bundesliga)
Estimated Cost: €20m
2019/20 League Appearances: 30
2019/20 League Goals: 3
2019/20 League Assists: 4
Key Strengths:
Pace. Brekalo is blessed with incredible power and pace when running with the ball and particularly valuable in counter attacking situations.
Unpredictability. His pace, dribbling volume and two-footedness make him a difficult player to defend in 1v1 situations.
Set-piece specialist. Brekalo is competent in both corners and free-kick situations.
Areas of Concern:
Finishing. He is not a very clinical finisher, particularly from inside the area, and has been guilty of missing some good chances.
Crossing. Whilst he is a good crosser from set-pieces, he is not as effective from open-play.
Style of Play:
Brekalo is a good passer and ball carrier. He often likes to receive the ball and carry the ball forward, often looking to lead counter attacks or get to the byline for a cutback. Besides that, despite mainly operating from the left, he roams the pitch quite often, popping up behind the striker and on the right, where his good passing ability allows him to adapt to such situations. He will help Atleti unlock stubborn defenses, and be an outlet on the counter. His poor finishing is a concern though, given that this is already an area of weakness for Atletico.
Figure 6 below summarizes his statistical profile, as well as examples of certain strengths and weaknesses.
Felipe Anderson:
Coming off a subpar season, Felipe Anderson has generally divided opinion. There is no denying however, that he is an incredibly creative dribbler & ball carrier, and that he is a work-horse out of possession. Consequently he would be a great fit for Simeone’s side.
Age: 27
Club: West Ham United (Premier League)
Estimated Cost: €30m
2019/20 League Appearances: 25
2019/20 League Goals: 1
2019/20 League Assists: 4
Key Strengths:
Dribbling. Felipe Anderson is a great dribbler, particularly excelling in tight areas, and is a good ball carrier from deeper areas.
Passing. Creative and incisive passer in the final third.
Defensive work-rate. He has a high defensive work rate and accomplished defensively.
Areas of Concern:
Decision making. Despite getting into good areas, Anderson can be guilty of making suboptimal decisions and wasting good opportunities.
Penalty box presence. Anderson does not get into the box enough or on the end of chances.
Style of Play:
Playing for a relatively defensive team, Anderson is tasked with being one of the main creators and ball carriers out wide. With West Ham placing large emphasis on chance creation from wide areas, it is a role Anderson is comfortable with. Usually starting deep and on the left, Anderson roams around in the final third with his neat dribbling and excellent technique. Combining well with his full-back, he is adept at staying out wide or cutting inside, with his deep passing repertoire. Although 2019/20 has not been the greatest season, he remains an excellent player. His high defensive work rate would be a welcome sight for Simeone, while directness and creativity would offer Atletico something they do not currently possess.
Figure 7 below summarizes his statistical profile, as well as examples of certain strengths and weaknesses.
Potential Position Number 3: Central Midfielder (Thomas Partey Replacement)
The third need identified was a Thomas Partey replacement. With the Ghanaian rumored to be on his way out, Atletico would need to find a replacement for him, should he be sold. Ideally, Atletico would target a player who is stylistically similar to Partey. Using a cluster analysis, we were able to narrow down our shortlist to three players: Ibrahim Sangare, Manual Locatelli and Adam Maher.
Adam Maher:
Maher’s profile is remarkably similar to Partey’s. He is an excellent defender, who excels at intercepting passes. He also possesses a remarkable passing range, and is particularly adept at playing long-balls. One area of concern would be how well he would adapt to La Liga, coming from the Dutch Eredivisie.
Age: 27
Club: Utrecht (Eredivise)
Estimated Cost: €4m
2019/20 League Appearances: 25
2019/20 League Goals: 3
2019/20 League Assists: 3
Key Strengths:
Recovering the ball. Maher excels at recovering loose balls due to a blend of intelligent positioning and tenacity.
Passing range. Excels at finding teammates with long passes, switching play and finding players between the lines.
Offensive productivity. Maher is good at setting up his teammates and is a threat from distance with his shooting.
Areas of Concern:
Aggressive. Maher fouls often and can sometimes be caught diving into tackles too aggressively, thus leaving his teammates exposed if/when he’s beaten.
Physicality. His short frame means he’s not great in the air and can be beaten quite easily. This is an area where Thomas Partey excels in and Atletico benefit from.
Style of Play:
With a similar profile to Partey, Maher is a player that likes to carry the ball and dribble out of midfield and into forward areas. He also possesses a remarkable similar passing profile to Partey, with his often favoring longer and more direct forward passes, with both particularly adept with their line breaking passes. Should be seen as a natural replacement for Partey. He does, however, likes to get forward more than the Ghanaian, a trait that might be more exposed in Atletico’s 4-4-2 set-up, leaving them vulnerable in certain situations.
Figure 8 below summarizes his statistical profile, as well as examples of certain strengths and weaknesses.
Manuel Locatelli:
Locatelli truly is a phenomenal prospect. The Italian is exceedingly capable of being the focal-point of a side’s build-up dynamics, and his remarkable passing range makes him a quality chance creator even from deep. He reads the game well, and excels at defending in transition. Saying that though, Locatelli represents a different option for Atletico if they wanted to explore a slightly different approach/profile.
Age: 22
Club: Sassuolo (Serie A)
Estimated Cost: €35m
2019/20 League Appearances: 25
2019/20 League Goals: 0
2019/20 League Assists: 4
Key Strengths:
Press resistance. Locatelli is comfortable receiving the ball in deeper areas, he is great under pressure and can evade pressure with his dribbling and passing.
Final third involvement. Locatelli excels in joining the attack and getting forward, particularly in transition situations.
Defensive positioning. An excellent reader of the game.
Areas of Concern:
Physicality. Not the strongest physically and can be outmuscled at times.
Aerial ability. Not great, he can shy away from aerial duels and he is often easily beaten when contesting.
Style of Play:
A player that is comfortable receiving deep and getting forward, Locatelli is somewhat of an all action midfield. He can be seen picking up the ball from his defenders, where his spatial awareness and technical ability allow him to to do so when under pressure. Further up the pitch, he likes to dribble with the ball from the middle quite frequently to get the ball further up the pitch. His versatility means he can find himself at home in multiple setups. His profile though, is somewhat different to the player he’d be replacing, meaning Simeone might have to make some adjustments to get the best out of him.
Figure 9 below summarizes his statistical profile, as well as examples of certain strengths and weaknesses.
Ibrahim Sangare:
Unfortunate to have been relegated with Toulouse, Sangare quietly put in some accomplished performances last season. Excellent at harassing & tackling ball carriers, as well as closing down his opponents very well. He is also an accomplished passer and ball carrier. Stylistically similar to Partey, and available on a cut-price deal, Sangare could be an interesting option for Atletico.
Age: 22
Club: Toulouse (Ligue 1)
Estimated Cost: €10m
2019/20 League Appearances: 25
2019/20 League Goals: 0
2019/20 League Assists: 1
Key Strengths:
Defensive positioning and tackling ability. His good positioning allows him to recover and intercept passes and shots in the middle, while he makes good use of his long legs to win the ball in a tackle.
Passing. Good at playing long balls and progressive passing, as well as finding teammates between the lines.
Ball carrying. His combination of technique, athleticism and long legs allow him to stride forward with the ball to create space.
Areas of Concern:
Too aggressive at times. There are times where he can be seen being dragged out of position as he looks to win the ball early.
Pass selection. Although Sangare is a good passer, he frequently tries to play difficult and risky passes in an attempt to force the ball forward causing him to lose possession.
Style of Play:
A player that likes to pick the ball up deep, Sangare often looks to drive forward with the ball either by carrying/dribbling into the final third, or looking to play a forward pass between the lines. He frequently looks to play the ball forward, at times to a fault even. Defensively, he generally positions himself well and is discilpined, but there are occasions where he can be dragged out of position looking to win the ball early. His physical frame and tenacity make him a great ball winner and a like for like replacement for Thomas Partey in that regard. Overall, he shows up as relatively similar to Partey stylistically, meaning he would be able to adapt. The main areas of concern are his risky pass selection and at times heavy first touch when under pressure.
Figure 10 below summarizes his statistical profile, as well as examples of certain strengths and weaknesses.
Taking all the above into consideration, and given Atletico’s needs, the financial situation of the football world and budget limitations, we would recommend the following two signings:
Striker: Odsonne Edouard (€35m)
Left Winger: Felipe Anderson (€30m)
This would give Atletico Madrid a total spend of €65m. Should Thomas Partey leave for the reported release clause of €50m (giving Atletico an additional €12.5m to their transfer budget), we would recommend signing Adam Maher for €4m. This would take Atletico’s total spend to €69m, less than the assumed budget of €89m (after sales)
Data Source: Wyscout
