Mansion Sports – Atletico Madrid sporting director Mateu Alemany has begun drawing up the club’s transfer plans for the upcoming summer transfer window.

The club intend to sign a new midfielder, as well as add a central defender to the squad at the RiyadhAir Metropolitano, given the uncertainty surrounding the future of Jose Maria Gimenez.

If Gimenez does depart, Diego Simeone would only have David Hancko, Marc Pubill, and Robin Le Normand as his senior centre-back options. That situation makes the need for reinforcement in that position extremely important.

Over the past 12 months, Atletico have tended to target younger players, but specifically for the defensive sector, there is a desire to replace Gimenez’s experience with a figure of a similar profile.

John Stones falls into that category. According to a report from CaughtOffside, the 31-year-old defender is one of the names currently being considered by Atletico for recruitment in the summer.

Stones is highly unlikely to receive a new contract from Manchester City, the club he has represented since 2016.

Bayern Munich and AC Milan are also reportedly interested in Stones, who has made only 13 appearances this season.

Atletico are believed to feel capable of submitting an attractive offer should they decide to proceed, although the competition to secure his signature will certainly not be easy.

Stones Considered a Risk for Atletico

At his best, Stones was regarded as one of the finest defenders in the world. However, at present, his level of performance is considered not yet to have returned to that standard.

In addition, he would almost certainly demand high wages, particularly if he joins on a free transfer, which becomes an important factor for Atletico’s management to consider before making a decision.

In this context, Atletico should also evaluate other alternatives. The club possess the financial capacity to pay a significant transfer fee, and therefore do not have to rely on recruiting free agents as they have done on several previous occasions.

The primary priority is to ensure that Simeone receives the highest quality reinforcements in order to strengthen his squad optimally.