DIEGO SIMEONE’S ATLéTICO FUTURE IN DOUBT AFTER TENSE MATEU ALEMANY FALLOUT
Diego Simeone’s future at Atlético Madrid is uncertain as tension grows with Mateu Alemany, and Inter Milan rumours gain momentum.
Spanish media is swirling with talk that Diego Simeone might be on his way out at Atletico Madrid. Hard to believe, right? This guy took over back in December 2011, turned the club into a real force, and even managed to win La Liga twice—beating out giants like Real Madrid and Barcelona.
But here we are. Apparently, Atletico are weighing up Simeone's future. Sport says things have gotten tense between him and Mateu Alemany, the club’s new Director of Football. Simeone’s contract runs until 2027, but that relationship seems rocky. Atletico sit third in La Liga, trailing Barcelona by ten points. They just lost to Bodo/Glimt in the last Champions League group match and now have to fight through a play-off to reach the knockouts. Recent results have been rough, and transfer disagreements are piling up. It’s starting to feel like Simeone’s once-untouchable job is suddenly at risk.
There’s also the money. Simeone is one of the highest-paid managers in the game—€13 million a year. Only a few names earn more: Simone Inzaghi at Al-Hilal, Pep Guardiola, Mikel Arteta, and, believe it or not, David Moyes at Everton. If Simeone walks away after this season, replacing someone with his status won't be easy.
Meanwhile, Alemany isn’t waiting around. He’s already looking at possible successors and has his eye on Andoni Iraola at Bournemouth. The catch? Iraola seems happy in the Premier League, but who knows—if Atletico come calling after all these years under Simeone, maybe he listens.
Looking back, you can’t overstate what Simeone’s done for Atletico. He’s delivered two La Liga titles, two Europa Leagues, a Copa del Rey, and a Supercopa de España. Add to that two UEFA Super Cups and two trips to the Champions League final. Four times, he’s been named La Liga Manager of the Year. That’s a legacy.
Still, Simeone’s never hidden his dream of coaching Inter. He played there from 1997 to 1999, and you can tell the place means something to him. “It doesn’t just depend on me, but I can see myself managing Inter one day. I think it’ll happen,” he said. He’s a huge admirer of their squad and their style, especially after recent games against Milan. “They play with personality and have a clear idea of how to attack. They deserved more. In the Champions League, the numbers speak for themselves. Two finals—they’re one of the favourites,” he added.
So, maybe we’re watching the end of an era at Atletico. Or maybe Simeone finds a way, like he always has. Either way, it’s hard to imagine the club without him.
THE NAPOLI TRAP: MAPPING THE €70M PENALTY CLAUSE BLOCKING OSIMHEN’S ITALIAN RETURN
Victor Osimhen transfer update: Discover why a return to Italy is "impossible" and how Chelsea could fund his massive salary.
Victor Osimhen only joined Galatasaray last summer, but the transfer rumours just won’t let up. Chelsea have chased him for ages, and now people keep linking him with another big move.
Galatasaray didn’t just make noise last year; they shook Turkish football. They went all out in the transfer market, spending like never before and forcing bitter rivals Fenerbahçe to open their own wallets wide.
They smashed their old transfer record (which was €18 million) by paying €75 million for Osimhen alone. Then they brought in Wilfried Singo for €31 million and Ugurcan Cakir for €27.5 million. Ismaila Jakobs and Przemyslaw Frankowski joined as well, costing another €8 million and €7 million. The whole spree? €148.5 million. And that’s not even counting the huge wages for these guys and for free agents like Leroy Sane and Ilkay Gundogan. Meanwhile, Galatasaray only brought in €18 million from player sales.
So yeah, people are starting to wonder if this is sustainable. Telegrafi ran the numbers and tried to calm everyone down, suggesting the spending isn’t as reckless as it looks.
Is Galatasaray going to have to sell Osimhen? The club pulled in roughly €275 million in revenue last season and might hit €350 million this year. That’s solid for any club, even compared to Europe’s biggest.
Their Champions League run, knocking out Juventus and reaching the round of 16, already earned them about €40 million, and that’s not including TV money and other perks from the tournament.
Add it all up, and Galatasaray’s assets are worth a net €143 million. They’re also fully compliant with UEFA’s Squad Cost Ratio rule, mostly because they’re spreading out the cost of those big transfer fees.
Still, Turkish football has a rough history with money. Plenty of clubs have crashed and burned, so fans are nervous about Galatasaray spending so much so fast.
And with Osimhen, people are doubting he’ll stick around. His wages alone, €15 million a season, are a heavy load for any Turkish club. Rumour has it he’s even missed a couple of pay cheques. Honestly, that’s not unheard of. Alvaro Morata called Galatasaray out for not paying up last summer. But with Osimhen, it’s just speculation for now.
Despite all that, the chatter about Osimhen leaving is only getting louder. He’s been talking up Juventus recently, a club that tried to sign him last summer. Napoli blocked that move; they didn’t want to sell to a Serie A rival.
To stop any quick return to Italy, Napoli added a penalty clause when they sold Osimhen to Gala. According to Gazzetta dello Sport, if Galatasaray sells him back to Serie A in 2026, they owe Napoli another €70 million. In 2027, it drops to €50 million.
That clause only runs for two years, but with Serie A clubs struggling for cash, paying €100 million-plus for Osimhen (once you add his wages and the penalty) just isn’t realistic. Juventus or anyone else in Italy? Out of the question, at least for now.
So, if Galatasaray has to sell Osimhen, whether for money or other reasons, the Premier League seems like the most likely landing spot. He’s already turned down moves to Saudi Arabia. The guy wants to stay in Europe.
PSG looked at him, but their new salary cap rules make a deal tough. Same story with Chelsea in the past; they just didn’t want to cover his pay cheque. Still, Chelsea keeps coming up in the rumours, and some fans want the club to rethink their transfer plans and bring in proven winners to help guide Liam Rosenior’s young squad.
Osimhen would cost a fortune, no question. But he’s exactly the kind of player Chelsea needs.
THREE GAMES LEFT? WHY ANTOINE GRIEZMANN’S ATLéTICO CAREER COULD END ON MARCH 7TH
Griezmann to Orlando City: Discover the verbal agreement allowing a free transfer and the latest on the Tottenham UCL draw.
Diego Simeone admits he really doesn't know if Antoine Griezmann will stick around at Atlético Madrid until the end of the season, as the French forward’s talks with Orlando City heat up.
Earlier this week, ESPN reported that Griezmann is deep in negotiations with the MLS club, even though his contract with Atlético runs until 2027. Sources say both sides want to get the deal done now, and things are moving fast.
Griezmann isn’t just another player for Atlético; he’s their all-time top scorer and still one of their most important guys on the pitch. He’s already played 22 La Liga games this season, and the team’s got some serious matches coming up, including a Copa del Rey semifinal second leg against Barcelona on Tuesday.
Simeone, speaking earlier in the week, said Griezmann has earned the right to choose what comes next after everything he’s given the club.
“I already said it the other day,” Simeone told reporters on Friday before Atlético’s game at Oviedo. “I’m not going to keep repeating myself. We honestly don’t know what’s going to happen. Everyone knows how much Antoine means to us.”
Friday’s Champions League draw threw Atlético up against Tottenham, with the first leg in Madrid on March 10 or 11 and the return in London a week later.
After the draw, Atlético’s director of football, Mateu Alemany, tried to shut down the rumours. “Antoine has this season and two more years on his contract. He’s totally focused on what’s ahead. He’s playing great. Right now, we’re counting on him for tomorrow, for Tuesday, and for the Champions League. Everything else is just talk.”
But sources tell ESPN that Griezmann might actually leave sooner, with a possible farewell at home against his old club, Real Sociedad, on March 7.
If that happens, Griezmann would have just three more games in red and white: Oviedo on Saturday, Barcelona on Tuesday, and then Real Sociedad.
“We’re talking with Antoine,” Simeone said. “He knows what he means to us. There’s no need to pressure him. We just have to focus on what’s in front of us: Oviedo, Barcelona, Real Sociedad, and Tottenham. Big games.”
MLS’s transfer window closes on March 26 and then opens again in July.
Right now, all sides are working out the final details of the transfer, according to ESPN’s sources.
Simeone would have liked Griezmann to finish out the LaLiga season, then leave in the summer, but there’s a verbal agreement in place. Atlético promised Griezmann he could go for free whenever he decided it was time.
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