After an underwhelming start to their 2022-23 La Liga campaign, Atletico Madrid have a real conundrum on their hands as they must find a way to make it back into the top four while balancing their books.
They’ve slumped to fifth in the league standings with 24 points – level with Athletic Bilbao and Real Betis – but they still have enough time to turn their season around.
So, the upcoming January transfer window is going to be crucial as they’re reportedly keen on moving on between three and five of their players.
Meanwhile, Barcelona and Real Madrid are leading the pack and both sides are looking to pick up positive La Liga 2022 results as we open the second half of 2022-23.
With the restart on the horizon, read on below as SBOTOP briefs you on the latest in Spanish top-flight.
Atleti players made available for January window
Atletico Madrid are open to offloading some of their players come January – namely Joao Felix, Matheus Cunha, Felipe, and Mario Hermoso.
Felix – who was intended to be the replacement for the Barcelona-bound Antoine Griezmann – joined Atleti from Benfica for £113-M back in July 2019.
However, he struggled to make a consistent impact due to injuries that he sustained throughout his stay so far, notching only 33 goals and 18 assists in 129 competitive appearances.
This season, though, Felix has recorded three goals and three assists – providing Diego Simeone and co. some hope that he can live up to his potential at the Wanda Metropolitano.
The 23-year-old striker has been linked to a Premier League move, with Arsenal and Manchester United claimed to be keen on bringing him on. Since he still has huge upside, Atleti are expected to demand a hefty fee for the Portuguese.
Matheus Cunha is another 23-year-old that is available for another possible Premier League move. He joined Atleti from Hertha Berlin for €30-M back in 2021, but his playing time has been sporadic. The Brazilian is reportedly linked to Wolves over a possible deal.
Felipe, 33, is also being eyed by Wolves, while the 27-year-old Mario Hermoso has yet to receive any formal offers.
Assuming all of them are sold by January, Atletico Madrid’s finances should be back on track. They’ll look to rely on their World Cup 2022 standouts in Antoine Griezmann, Alvaro Morata, and Rodrigo de Paul either way moving forward.
Real Madrid looking to make their team younger
This season, Real Madrid are all about refreshing their squad while staying competitive to win trophies, and they’ve been consistent with their mantra.
After selling Casemiro to Manchester United, they brought in Aurelien Tchouameni from AS Monaco last summer. And the 22-year-old midfielder has been solid, not only for Los Blancos, but for Les Bleus too.
With Toni Kroos and Luka Modric approaching the twilight of their careers, Tchouameni and fellow Frenchman Eduardo Camavinga are expected to lead their midfield for the foreseeable future.
Reigning Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema is also not getting any younger, so Real Madrid decided to bring in a bright young striker in Endrick.
The Palmeiras forward just turned 16 last July, and he’ll join Los Blancos when he reaches legal age in July 2024. Endrick was reportedly signed for $63.6-M.
Reports from South America also claim that Real Madrid aren’t stopping there since they’re keeping tabs on 16-year-old Gianluca Prestianni. He is currently playing for Velez Sarsfield in Argentina’s Primera Division.
Barcelona aiming for trophies and Messi reunion
Barcelona president Joan Laporta recently outlined his expectations for the club this season. Basically, he said that he wants the Blaugrana to be on top of the food chain once more.
Finance was the big problem for them, but their La Liga 2022 odds aren’t affected much, especially since they’re on top of the table.
Besides La Liga, Barcelona’s best chance of winning a trophy is in the Europa League, although they have a tough playoff draw against Manchester United.
As a squad, Barcelona have a unique mix of veterans and youngsters – from the likes of Robert Lewandowski and captain Sergio Busquets to the duo of Pedri and Gavi – which might be enough to win silverware.
Furthermore, Laporta is not giving up on bringing back Lionel Messi to Catalonia despite reports that the Argentine superstar has committed to a contract extension with PSG. Messi, who recently celebrated his World Cup triumph, is said to remain in Paris until 2024. He has 12 goals and 14 assists for the Parisiens across all competitions this season.
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