2024-07-25 18:46:27
Dovbyk agrees, all that remains is to reach an agreement with Girona.
İdman.biz presents an article with a link to soccer.ru.
Diego Simeone is rejuvenating the Atletico squad – there is a need to refresh the attacking group. Negotiations are underway with Girona – the “mattress makers” are interested in Ukrainian forward Artem Dovbyk.
Minus two forwards
Real Madrid really lack a clear striker who could decide the outcome of a match. Last season they started with the Morata-Griezmann duo, with Alvaro able to replace Depay. Then the Argentine coach paired him with Antoine Correa – this combination made a difference at the end of the season. The Spanish national team forward finished the championship with 15 goals in 32 matches, Memphis scored five goals, Angel scored nine goals (seven as a center forward) – a tangible benefit.
In the off-season, they parted ways with two players at once – and if the farewell to Depay is not so critical (he is no longer showing his usual level), then the loss of Morata hits the team quite hard. The Spaniard is still good at the top level – but he feels uncomfortable in his native country. Therefore, he willingly accepted the offer from Milan – the Italian culture is closer to the player. And against this background, the Madrid attack line has sagged.
Yes, Griezmann has played well with Correa, and in the summer João Felix and Samu Omorodion are returning from loan spells – the latter had a great season for Alaves, establishing himself in the La Liga team. But if you dig deeper, the 20-year-old forward lacks experience, and Atlético is a team of hard workers with a very specific coach. Felix has long failed to live up to the expectations that were placed on him when he was bought from Benfica – he is simply an alien element in the team. So it turns out that Madrid lost their leader and joker (even if he stagnated in the spring), and returned players of either an unconfirmed level or who do not fit the system.
We need someone who will free Griezmann’s hands
It is important to consider forward candidates with reference to Griezmann’s functionality. Antoine is the “first violin” of the “mattress makers”, so you need to select someone who will play perfectly with him. Like Thuram with Martinez at Inter. The Frenchman only gets better with age – and now he has revealed himself in a new role. Simeone made the striker a free artist – and Griezmann plays at the tip quite rarely. He can drop into the play to help advance the ball, and lead the attack from deep.
And the Argentine manager values such Antoine very much – here is what he noted back in 2022:
He played a few games in this role last year. We think he is adaptable because he has vision, technique, and allows us to play with a more attacking player elsewhere. Everyone knows how much I love and appreciate him, how important he is for the game and the team.
And in moments when Antoine goes deeper, someone needs to remain at the tip and be the recipient of passes in the final third, take on the one-on-one battles in the opponent’s penalty area. Otherwise, Atletico simply won’t have a finisher. The “mattress makers” considered several forwards who have already proven themselves in top championships: Julian Alvarez from Manchester City, Alexander Sörlota from Villarreal and Artem Dovbyk (Girona). The latter is a priority option.
Dovbyk deserves a promotion
Artem had been looking for a long time for his chance to shine in the European championship – earlier there was an attempt with a club from Denmark. In “Midtjylland” the forward did not gain a foothold, and in “Sønderjyske” he scored only two goals in 18 championship matches.
Before his triumphant season in Girona, Dovbyk spent three years building up his strength in Dnipro-1 – and made a splash in La Liga in his very first season. By September, the forward had already secured a place in the starting lineup and started scoring – and by the end, he had scored 10 goals in nine matches.
Dovbyk is now reaching his potential peak – he plays for a team that has become the revelation of the season in Spain, and he himself has had a strong influence on this. There may not be a better opportunity to move up. Moreover, we are not talking about a young player who has just blossomed – but about an experienced 27-year-old striker who should cling to any chance.
Madrid began negotiations back in June. The player’s contract included a buyout clause of 40 million euros, but the Catalans refused to lower the price. Now the “mattress makers” have managed to bring the price down to 30+5 million euros. Artem himself is in favor of the transfer.
Lost the backbone
There is another side to the coin – Girona and their reason to sell their leader. The team has just broken into the top three and is preparing to play in the Champions League. The season is expected to be extremely difficult. After all, the “white-reds” lack experience, the reserve power to move from the category of discoveries to a full-fledged top club. Plus, now they will be treated with all seriousness – in addition, it must be taken into account that the Catalans often simply had luck.
In order to avoid a major setback with the debut in the Champions League, preserving the core is the bare minimum, which they are unable to cope with. The loans of Eric Garcia, Jan Couto and Savio have ended – the latter eventually went to Manchester City. Center half Alex Garcia was sold to Bayer for 18 million euros. They let go of the captain, who missed only one league match last season.
Also, according to media reports, Girona may lose Viktor Tsygankov – Milan and Arsenal were interested in him. In addition to all of the above – they will also lose their top scorer. The next season will be very difficult.
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