Atlético Nacional is experiencing a moment of duality: while the team prepares to play the second leg final of the Betplay Cup this Wednesday, from 7:30 pm against their backyard rival, DIMthe board of directors is working intensely on preparing the payroll for next year. The search for reinforcements has come up against high prices and planning closely linked to possible qualification for the Copa Libertadores.
The list of possible incorporations that the green team manages is extensive, but the negotiations have not been easy.
Atlético Nacional asked about the attacker Harold Santiago Mosquerawho recently signed with América de Cali. However, the response was discouraging for Paisa interests: They asked Nacional for three times more than what the player signed with América.
Another name that appears on the agenda is that of midfielder Juergen Elitim. The club has already started contacts to acquire the services of the player with a Colombian-Spanish profile, who could provide dynamics and vision in the midfield.
The board keeps monitoring several players who have been recurring in transfer rumors: Stefan Medina and Santiago Arias: The experienced full-backs continue in the portfolio, offering security and international experience. Daniel Mosquera, Jader Obrian and Alejandro Piedrahíta: Attackers and midfielders could add speed and offensive depth to the team. Auqnue Piedrahía signed with CSKA Sofia of Bulgaria.
Green is also after Jeison Medina, a Libertadores figure with the Quito League, but the only option would be for the Ecuadorian team to agree to a loan, because he has a contract there until June 2028.
The possibility of making the highest-ranking signings is directly tied to the team’s classification for the next edition of the Copa Libertadores.a panorama that today seems remote. So the arrival of high-profile, high-cost players like Cristian ‘Chicho’ Arango, Sebastián Villa or Róger Martínez is complicated.
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The only way that Nacional has left for the preliminary phase of the Libertadores is for Deportes Tolima to become champion of the Betplay Cup (which would free up a place due to reclassification), but with the series losing 3-0 in the first leg, that possibility has become almost nil.
The uncertainty about the Copa Libertadores not only complicates the arrival of major reinforcements, but also affects the possible continuity of forward Alfredo Morelos, whose salary and sporting expectations are linked to international competition.
Johan Rojas, for his part, is very close to closing an agreement with an important club in Brazil. Although Nacional does not completely rule out the option, the agreement seems advanced.
- How does qualifying for the Copa Libertadores affect Nacional’s signings?
- Qualification for the Copa Libertadores is crucial to attract higher-ranking players, as it guarantees greater visibility and better income for the club. Without this classification, the options for high-profile signings are considerably reduced.
- Who are the main players that Atlético Nacional is looking for?
- Nacional is looking for players like Juergen Elitim, Stefan Medina, and Santiago Arias. They have also shown interest in attackers Daniel Mosquera and Jader Obrian
