Everything was lined up except the bit that mattered
He was waiting for a simple call. Nicolas Tagliafico spent the final hours of the transfer window watching for the green light from Madrid. It never came.
According to Spanish paper AS, Atletico and Lyon had reached agreement on every detail of the left-back’s loan move. The player said yes quickly, brushing aside Juventus’ interest in the process. Then the deal fell apart.
Try it for $0.99.
Two hurdles, one impossible
The first problem came from Lyon. The Ligue 1 club had not managed to register Youssouf Fofana in time after signing him from AC Milan to replace the Argentine. That was still something that could have been sorted.
The second was not. Atletico simply did not have enough room left in their wage bill to register Tagliafico. The exits of Jose Maria Gimenez and Thomas Lemar still did not free up the necessary space. La Liga rules are what they are. That was that, with only hours left before the deadline.
Frustrating, because the move would have cost next to nothing. At 34, and under contract at Lyon until 2027, the Argentina international was exactly the sort of cheap late-window fix clubs go hunting for when the money has run dry.
Simeone will have to patch things up on the left
Diego Simeone wanted two proper options in the position. He saw his compatriot as the ideal partner for Alejandro Grimaldo, who arrived this summer and is far more attack-minded. One defensive option, one wing-back. The plan was clear.
He will have to make do without. The Argentine coach will lean in particular on David Hancko’s versatility to cover the left flank. His defence is thinner than he would have liked when the window shut.
As for Tagliafico, he stays in Lyon. After a strange summer, he’s got a full season ahead of him.
Discover the rest of the football news on our mathodds website and app!
in your pocket.
Real-time notifications & alerts
Leave a Reply