Atletico Madrid considering bringing back former defender for €10m fee | OneFootball

Atletico Madrid are settling plans for their summer transfer window currently, and while there is some debate over what reinforcements should arrive, Diego Simeone may have a cost-effective alternative for Los Rojiblancos.

Los Colchoneros will try to bring in a right-back, a left-back, and one or two central defenders this summer. As per MD, Simeone would rather that be two, one of which is set to be Leicester City defender Caglar Soyuncu on a free.

Another option they are considering is Udinese defender Nehuen Perez. The Argentine central defender was signed by Atletico as a teenager, but never managed to break through.

Now 22, Perez has asserted himself in Serie A, playing 33 of the Bianconeri’s 37 games so far. Perez even won an Argentina cap last September, although has not been called back by Lionel Scaloni since.

Moving from Atletico Madrid, they insert a buy-back clause which allows them to recover Perez for €10m this summer, €12.5m the following summer, and €15m the summer afterr that.

Given he is unlikely to command a major wage, and could have plenty of resale value as a young central defender, Perez would tick the boxes for a new recruit. Simeone and Atletico lacked depth at the position earlier in the season as Jose Maria Gimenez and Stefan Savic struggled for fitness, and it is understandable he would want to be covered at the position.