Atletico Madrid Plot Move For Ex-Barcelona Transfer Guru Mateu Alemany

Shortly after departing Barcelona after three years in Catalonia, transfer expert Mateu Alemany is in demand and Atlético Madrid are the latest club to join those looking to sign him.

Alemany had been strongly linked with a move to Premier League side Aston Villa, but talks broke down and he instead saw out the summer transfer window in Barcelona, working alongside Deco, who had been hired to replace him.

Now, Atlético Madrid CEO Miguel Ángel Gil is keen to bring Alemany to the Spanish capital and appoint him into the club’s sporting structure to lead their efforts in the market. Gil is a big fan of the work that Alemany has done ever since his time at Mallorca, before he has had impressive stints at Valencia, who won the Copa del Rey with a squad built by Alemany, and Barcelona, who won LaLiga last season.

According to the report from Relevo, Alemany would come in to act as a middle man between Gil and sporting director Andrea Berta. The role is one which does not exist at present in the Atlético Madrid hierarchy, with Gil working directly alongside Berta to coordinate transfer activity. It comes at a time when tension has built between Gil and Berta after the Italian’s frustrations with the club’s activity this summer, with a failure to secure a holding midfielder as had been requested by coach Diego Simeone.

Alemany has been in talks with Atlético Madrid regularly over the course of the year, initially in January to negotiate the departure of Memphis Depay from Camp Nou, and in the summer to secure the loan signing of João Félix. After holding regular conversations with Gil and Atlético regarding transfer business, he left Barcelona officially on September 2nd.

It wouldn’t be the first time that Alemany has held talks with Atlético. A decade ago, shortly after the appointment of Simeone as coach in late 2011, Gil approached Alemany, who had departed his role as president of Mallorca and sold his shares in the Balearic club. Nothing materialized from the talks, but it was the start of a relationship which Gil has maintained to this day.

Potential RFEF candidacy

An alternative which Alemany could opt for is to run for the presidency of the RFEF, the Royal Spanish Football Federation. It was a role that he ran for in 2007, ultimately failing in his bid for presidency. On that occasion, he had backing from several clubs, federations and even government, to replace Ángel María Villar, but Villar received backing from FIFA and his supporters backed down.

That option has now returned as a possibility given the opportunity to replace the disgraced Luis Rubiales. With a bid for the 2030 World Cup on the horizon, Alemany would have a leading role, but his preference is believed to be to work for a club.

It also wouldn’t be the first time that Alemany has had offers from the Spanish capital. A Real Madrid fan at heart, though he rarely addresses that, he once turned down Los Blancos after Florentino Pérez approached him to join his team when he was first named president in 2000.

Alemany rejected the approach from Pérez, opting to stay at Mallorca, where he made the transition from CEO to President, going on to win the Copa del Rey in 2003 with signings such as Samuel Eto’o in the team.

The director has not worked outside of Spain in his career and despite interest from abroad, Atlético Madrid are now looking to keep him in LaLiga by taking him to the Estadio Cívitas Metropolitano.