It was the great desire of Diego Pablo Simeone since the last summer transfer market. The arrival of a pivot that could unload and share responsibility with a Koke which in recent years has had to assume exclusively the function of cinco. Then, in fact, names seasoned in a thousand battles and to the taste of the Argentine coach, such as those of Guido Rodriguez or Pierre-Emile Højbjerg. But where Simeone demanded experience and immediate performance, the club opted, six months late, for youth and projection of Arthur Vermeeren.
After a season and a half of presentation in society, being key piece in an Antwerp champion of the Belgian league and making itself known in the group stage of the Champions League, the Promising 19-year-old midfielder He signed in January with Atlético de Madrid in exchange for 20 million euros. But that investment, biggest of the club in the last three yearshas not served at the moment to solve the problem for which Simeone publicly demanded a solution.
The Belgian has only participated in three league games. 83 minutes in totaldistributed among the 45 that played against Rayo in his debut, after just a couple of training sessions, another 19 against Las Palmas and another 19 in the rojiblancos’ 2-0 defeat against Cádiz on March 9, the last time he played.
The days go by and Vermeeren does not seem close to entering Simeone’s wheel, who from what has been said continues to see him green. “You have to accompany it, make it grow. He is young, has many things to give us. Surely it arrived at a time with many games in a row, and we couldn’t even train too much,” the coach commented a month after his arrival, explaining a dynamic that has been sustained throughout the season.
Con contract until 2030, His case is reminiscent of other red and white signings who had a difficult time performing in the first months. In Griezmannhis current teammate, can find an example to follow, since before becoming a legend of the club and the spoiled child del Cholo went through a mili of five months (between August and December 2014) in which he barely enjoyed any minutes.
Vermeeren, on the day of his debut with Atlético in the League. /ATM
But there are also (quite a few) negative references. There are not exactly a few signings of all ages and demarcations who have been shorn when arriving at Atlético in the Simeone era. Vietto, Cerci, Gaitán, Jackson, or the recent ones by Galán and Soyuncu These are just some of the examples of players who did not come in first through the eyes of the Argentine coach and were not able to reverse the situation.
Their presence in the Eurocup is in danger
Precisely in his position he has the example, although not recent, of another young man who came under Simeone as a bet for the future and ended up leaving through the back door. He was the Argentine Matias Kranevitter, who arrived at the rojiblanco club in 2015 after paying eight million to River. Although for the moment, that does not seem to worry Vermeeren, who has been sure of the bet
“I knew I wouldn’t play everything, that I would have to adapt. “I’m working on that now,” the Belgian declared about a month ago in an interview on Dazn. “The language, the culture, the climate, football… I feel that things are getting better, I am starting to manage everyday affairs better. But now I have to show that I am starting to be prepared and that I am there. I hope he’s improving,” the midfielder reflected.
At the moment, Vermeeren trains a lot and barely plays. It only remains to be seen if once the presence of Atlético in the Champions League next year and with nothing at stake, Simeone begins to test him in order to decide if next season will be in his plans or opt for a solution in the form of assignment so that the midfielder can get used to it.
In between, yes, there is a Euro Cup in which he still has a chance to be in despite having practically not played in 2024. It will be decided by the Belgian coach Domenico Tedescowho has counted on him in all the calls since he made him debut in October last year and that he was one of the supporters of his signing for Atlético, stating that it would lead him to ““He will develop enormously as a player.”. In Simeone’s hands is the possibility of him playing a couple of games at the last minute, with everything already decided, that could tip the balance so that he will be in Germany in June.
“He is a young boy, with an important futurewhich there is the expectation of being able to show,” the Argentine coach said this Saturday at a press conference, comparing the case of Vermeeren with other future signings in La Liga. “Obviously he has had to play little, like Güler has had to play little in Madrid or Vítor Roque in Barcelona. They are very young and there are moments that I can use them and there are moments that we have to wait for them to find that moment. Time, patience. We know that there is a good footballer and that we are going to need him”, emphasized the Argentine coach.
“I hope that in these two remaining games I can contribute to the team what we believe it has and well, let it go adding minutes for what is going to come”Simeone concluded, opening the door to Vermeeren, with nothing at stake, beginning to justify the reason for Atlético’s outlay.
2024-05-19 07:55:27
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