It has been accepted at the Civitas Metropolitano that Joao Felix may well be on his way out of the club, sooner or later, and as such, preparations are beginning for his replacement.
Diego Simeone seemed to struggle to find the ideal role for Felix for much of the last four and a half years, and there is a feeling that they might opt for a more conventional number nine to partner or compete with Alvaro Morata.
As has been reported by various outlets, Borja Iglesias is a profile that is well-liked and may well be their top priority should Felix exit in the winter. The Real Betis star has brushed off any speculation and the feeling is that Atleti will be forced to part with over €40m for his signature.
Fichajes say that Elche striker Lucas Boye is the budget alternative to Iglesias. The Argentine target man has struggled with injury of late with Elche, but was handful for defences two seasons ago. He was capped by Lionel Scaloni for the Albiceleste in March of 2022, but has only scored 15 goals in 84 La Liga matches.
The other option on the three-man shortlist is Lazio’s Luis Alberto. The Spanish playmaker has lost his place under Maurizio Sarri and is keen to leave Rome as soon as possible. His price tag is an amenable €10m, but Alberto is an entirely different profile to the likes of Iglesias and Boye. If anything, finding a role for him in Simeone’s system would be more akin to Felix.
