3 Players Atletico Madrid Should Clear out in 2015 Summer Transfer Window

With the 2014-15 season over for Atletico Madrid, the looming summer transfer window represents another important juncture in the club's ongoing rise in European football. 

Last summer, Atleti were forced to wave goodbye to some of the club's biggest stars, as Diego Costa, Thibaut Courtois, Filipe Luis and David Villa all departed the Vicente Calderon. But with the club slowly emerging from the financial black hole it's been in for so long, the 2014 Spanish champions will hope they don't have to endure another mass exodus this time around.

Instead, Atletico will strive to hold onto the club's marquee stars—Antoine Griezmann, Diego Godin and Koke—and only let go of those who look to have little future ahead of them at Atleti. 

Across the following slides, we examine three players Los Colchoneros should move on in the coming summer transfer window.

Mario Suarez

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After a season in which Atletico Madrid's midfield regressed somewhat, it's evident that Diego Simeone's central ensemble needs to be reinvigorated in 2015-16. A likely casualty in that process will be Mario Suarez.

Behind Gabi and Tiago in Atleti's central-midfield pecking order, the Spaniard made just 11 league starts this season—his lowest number since joining the club in 2010. A rugged holding option, Suarez has been a useful back-up for Simeone, but he doesn't possess the dynamism or technical quality that's required to take Atleti to another level.

Additionally, next season will likely witness the next stage in Koke's evolution to an elite central midfielder, having spent the bulk of his Atletico career to date playing out wide. Saul Niguez is also expected to enjoy a more prominent role in 2015-16, as Tiago and Gabi are slowly transitioned out of the side, meaning chances are likely to be few and far between for Suarez. 

If a reasonable offer comes in for the 28-year-old—Marca reported that Inter Milan were interested in January—Atleti should accept it.

Mario Mandzukic

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Twenty goals in all competitions was a fine return for Mario Mandzukic in his first season in Spain, but it's looking increasingly likely that his stay at Atletico Madrid will end swiftly. 

According to Marca, Atleti are looking to sign Juventus' Carlos Tevez or Villarreal's Luciano Vietto, while other possible targets that have been floated in recent months include Paris Saint-Germain's Edinson Cavani and Pescara's Jonathas, reported by ESPN FC.

Whether any of those deals will eventuate remains unclear, but the intent from the club appears obvious: sign another hard-running forward to allow Atleti to return to their preferred method of counter-attacking football.

In 2014-15, Mandzukic's presence forced Simeone to alter Atleti's style, seeing Los Colchoneros use a higher defensive line and a slightly more patient and intricate approach in attack to cater for the less mobile Croatian. Though the adaption was relatively successful, it did leave Atletico in an uncomfortable middle ground that took them away from the extremely effective, deep-lying football the club played in 2013-14. 

Atletico's reported transfer targets indicate a desire to return to the style of that remarkable season, and moving on Mandzukic and replacing him with a more mobile striker is necessary for that to occur. 

Miranda

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After a truly superb season in 2013-14, in which he was part of Europe's most impressive central-defensive pairing, Miranda endured a very mixed campaign in 2014-15. 

Battling with form and injury issues, the Brazilian made just 23 league starts—down from 32 in the season prior—and spent the campaign in a fight with the highly talented Jose Gimenez for the centre-back slot alongside Diego Godin. 

As such, Miranda now looks expendable, particularly given that Atleti had both Emiliano Velazquez and Toby Alderweireld out on loan in 2014-15 and could possibly recall both men, as Marca reported. 

Additionally, the looming transfer window might be Atletico's only opportunity to get something for the 30-year-old, whose current contract is set to expire in 12 months. With cash-rich Manchester United reportedly interested in the player, per the Telegraph, now might be the perfect time for the Vicente Calderon club to sell.