Before the arrival of Diego Pablo Simeonone of the players who seemed to have no place in the Atletico Madrid it was Juanfran Torres. Despite his professionalism, the new system of Gregory Manzano and the new signings had cut the doors to the ownership of the team. This even led the man from Jaen to try it out as a right back. Position in which he ended up taking advantage of it cholosdespite the fact that in the first match against Malaga He started playing inside right in a 4-2-3-1 that changed over time.
In a few weeks Juanfran he became untouchable on the right side. He ended up becoming one of the best of Europe in that demarcation, and came to make a niche for himself in the best Spanish team in history with which he won a European Championship in 2012.
The problem was that the years did not pass in vain for the man from Alicante. So the club first looked for a substitute and then a footballer who could inherit the right side. In the first place, players like Perea either sleeve. He also tried another youth squad like kader Y Alderweireld. And then came the signing of Jesus Gamez. The man from Malaga gave him rest and even managed to get a job with Juanfran in the countryside.
As of the 2016 campaign, the club began looking for a footballer who would compete for the position and who could take his place. The first was Croatian Sime Vrsaljko. A player who could play on both wings, in Croatia that Euro he played as a left back, although in the Athletic he hasn’t. A knee injury and his relapses have caused the player to lose prominence and have a residual role, except for the last season. He now he has not accepted the renewal offer and wants to leave. In no case would he have started as a starter.
In 2018 arrives Santiago Arias. The Colombian arrives from the PSV Eindhoven as an offensive footballer and with whom they hope to hit in the Metropolitan. After two campaigns in which he was unable to participate much, he left on loan to Bayer Leverkusen where he could not play and last season he was in the Grenade where he was not the undisputed starter. He seeks to recover football from him. He could stay this campaign as the substitute for the side that arrives.
The departure of the Alicante
In 2019 already with Juanfran outside the club arrives tripper. Until now he has been the only one who has come close to making Juanfran, but it has always lacked continuity. In his first season, his injuries prevented him from continuing, in fact, both Arias and Vrsaljko who were his substitutes had much more prominence than expected. In his second campaign he played everything until January, when a sanction from the English Federation left him 10 weeks off the pitch. Curiously, none of those weeks affected his National Team. Despite that break, it was vital to win The league. And last season he only stayed until January when he left for newcastle although between the fact that he arrived later for the European Championship and the shoulder injury he only played 18 games.
After the departure of tripper I arrive Wass, who barely had a few minutes in his rojiblanco debut. party in the Camp Nou in which he sprained his knees. Since then he has not played again.
In between, some homegrown players have had minutes like Solano, Carlos Isaac either Ricardbut none of them has managed to find a place in the plans of the Cholo Simeone. It is not easy for a youth squad to play ahead of players who are international for their countries. Top level players.
back to the market
Thus, in the summer of 2022 the Atletico Madrid still looking for an heir Juanfran Torres. Nahuel Molina is the one they like the most, although mattress makers are considering other options such as Emerson Royal, Pablo Maffeo, Pedro Porro either Jonathan Claus. Of course, the demand is maximum.
In fact, until now, the only ones that have managed to fill that void are tripper Y Mark Llorente. The Englishman is out and the man from Madrid contributes much more playing more advanced, that’s why the cholos It is clear that he must play higher. That is why the main objective of the club is to find a footballer who has his back.
Walter Zimmerman
