hUntil barely four summers ago, the first days of the preseason of the athletic They always sparked a very soccer debate around the figure of Koke: the convenience of taking to the center the youth squad player who had offered such a priceless performance by putting down a band during the first successes of the cholismo. However, despite the fact that he himself Simeone he also wondered about it, whether it was due to the presence of couples like Gabi-Tiago, Thomas Rodrigo and positional midfielders like August or even Salt, or because the now captain did not need to appear in the mid lane to build the game, the truth is that his conversion into a pure 5 would come after a long process. It is precisely this path that the technician envisions in the road map of Neighborhoods looking to the future, hence the present obliges and demonstrates the need to hire a replacement of guarantees: the great desire is called Verratti.
With the system of three center backs and wingers with which El Cholo led to the conquest of the last League and the brilliant end of the course last year, Koke’s position as single pivot assumes a capital importance. Few players are capable of fulfilling a positional function and at the same time achieving a clean and agile release of the ball that constitutes the central axis of the entire team. Hence, it is not easy to find that double on the market.
Or yes, but another thing is that it is within reach. With a contract until 2026 and a prohibited file for Atlético, only a restructuring in the psg With which he will look for new wisdom and savings to undertake new incorporations, he will be able to make possible the departure of Verrati. It is precisely because of those movements that are taking place in the French giant where the red and white hopewilling to throw the rest for the Italian if the slightest crack opens.
An effort that would be promoted with more force if the departures of Atlético left money in the coffers, hence the role played by the operations of joao flixabove all, I gave it, morata and company in the hiring of 5. In fact, if the economic muscle of Andrea Bertha is less, the height of the sports director sight will also be reduced. In fact, before Verratti appeared as the number 1 target, the possibility of the Dane was considered. Pierre-Emile Hjbjergbut the answer of Tottenham I already made it clear then that it was going off the price. Obviously, he continues to like him, in the same way as the Barcelona player kessie It would be another option to assess if the market put it within reach.
The Koke of the future
As paradoxical as it may seem, Atlético has the future of 5 much easier: Pablo Barrios. He problem it is that the throne of Koke called to inherit is still very far away. Despite the fact that to this day, as can be seen in some match tests, it would be the theoretical replacement for the captain (the other option is gismerathe lighthouse of the subsidiary of Tevenet), its conversion into a pivot still requires many chapters.
Despite the fact that El Cholo visualizes that relay in the futureIt is still early for Barrios to complete that path. In fact, his next few years of consolidation at Atltico still await him an interior position in which he will gain ground and especially defensive concepts that allow him to sustain his brilliant ability to play forward.
However, his first step has already been more than promising, because despite the fact that on the list of rookie homegrown players names like Sal, Thomas or lucas hernndeznone would have as many minutes in the season of its debut as Barrios, used in 913 minutes (counting injury time exceeds the barrier of 1,000) throughout 26 games that, without a doubt, will be many more in Atlético.
