Atletico Madrid can focus their attention in earnest on preparing for next season now, following their exit from the Club World Cup in the group stage. Los Colchoneros are set for another busy summer, with several big moves planned.
It is no secret in the Spanish capital that Atletico are hoping to negotiate deals for Johnny Cardoso of Real Betis, Villarreal’s Alex Baena and in an ideal world, Argentina and Tottenham Hotspur defender Cristian Romero. Less clear are the exits. Angel Correa is set to depart, but beyond that, no major departures have been announced.
One big name that could leave is Rodrigo de Paul. The 31-year-old has just a year left on his contract, and sources close to Football España have explained that contract talks started in April have gone nowhere due to disagreements over the length of the deal and salary. As such, Los Rojiblancos are open to selling de Paul, and have set a price tag of €25-30m. Given de Paul could run down his contract though, Atletico will be keen to seek a move before the end of the summer.
Atletico turned down a €25m bid from West Ham United in January, but it appears they have moved on from him. Galatasaray, Aston Villa and AC Milan are all keeping a close eye on how the situation evolves, but Inter and Juventus are cited as the two sides in Europe most interested in de Paul. The World Cup-winner has history in Serie A, and had significant interest from Italy’s biggest sides before moving to Atletico.
More recently, Inter Miami have also initiated conversations with de Paul’s camp, exploring the possibility of a move. David Beckham’s franchise offer the possibility of playing alongside long-term Argentina teammate and friend Lionel Messi at club level, but so far at least, de Paul remains set on continuing his career in Europe.
💣🚨 BREAKING: Real Betis representatives are in Madrid to meet with Atlético Madrid and try to finalize the deal for Johnny Cardoso.
Atlético will end up paying over €30m.
[🎖️: @matglez & @samuelsonsilva via @Objetivoatleti]
— Atletico Universe (@atletiuniverse) June 24, 2025
His exit from Atletico is not yet a given though, and manager Diego Simeone is the strongest advocate in his corner. He is keen to keep de Paul, and said sources indicate that were de Paul to lower his salary demands, then contract talks could be back on the table. Earlier this season de Paul seemed to declare his desire to stay, stating ‘I’m at a club I love with values I share’.
