Atletico Madrid’s decision to sign World Cup winner will depend on broken leg recovery

Atletico Madrid head coach Diego Simeone has been desperate for a new defensive midfielder to be signed. He wanted it last summer, and one did not come, and it looked to be that the same fate will occur during this month’s transfer window too.

However, that could change in the summer. Atleti are in a good position in the race for Feyenoord’s Mats Wieffer, and they are also very interested in signing Guido Rodriguez from Real Betis. In the case of the latter, he can be signed on a free, as his contract at Real Betis expires at the end of the season.

Despite these circumstances, it’s not set in stone that Atleti will try to sign Rodriguez. Marca say that their efforts will depend on how Rodriguez performs after his return from injury, which should be from March onwards. The Argentine suffered a broken leg in December, and is set to be out for at least three months.

It makes sense for Atletico Madrid to assess the situation before diving right in. A broken leg is very significant, and Rodriguez could end up not being as good as he was pre-injury. Real Betis will also retain hopes of agreeing a new deal with him too.