Calling True or False on 3 Recent Atletico Madrid Transfer Rumours

Unlike many of the other big teams around Europe, Atletico Madrid aren't ceaselessly linked with buying or selling new players throughout the winter months, possibly because they spent a significant sum over the summer or perhaps because they're a slightly more settled, structured club.

Even so, they are not immune to a few stories circulating, and we've rounded up three of the potential January moves to run the rule over.

Koke to Chelsea

There will never be any shortage of admirers of Atleti midfielder Koke. Even without having been in the best form of his life early on this season, and now suffering with an injury that saw him miss the Madrid derby, he is being sought out for a move abroad, according to the media.

Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images

Spanish publication Sport link Chelsea (h/t the Express) with a January move for around £40 million, as the Blues want to add some steel and quality to a centre that has been weak so far this term.

They could certainly do a lot worse than sign Koke, but the Atleti youngster has been a cornerstone of the Diego Simeone era since breaking through and is just as pivotal now. It's likely he'll move centrally over the course of the season, making his presence even more important.

Atleti have plenty of young players in the 20-24 age bracket, and Koke is vital to lead them, being the same age but much older in top-level experience and winning mentality.

Verdict: False. Koke rumours are going nowhere...just like the player himself.

Giacomo Bonaventura from AC Milan

This rumour comes from Tuttomercato, via AS (in Spanish), as part of a convoluted double deal in January: Atletico Madrid have been running the rule over Giacomo Bonaventura's form for AC Milan and are impressed with his versatility in the final third.

Tullio M. Puglia/Getty Images

Atleti will, therefore, keep a close eye with a view to a January bid—which Milan will be open to discuss, as they in turn want to sign Hakan Calhanoglu. Leaving aside quite why Calhanoglu, an outrageously talented 21-year-old attacking midfielder, would leave Champions League football in Germany with Bayer Leverkusen to go to an inferior team in an inferior league, there's also the matter of Bonaventura to discuss.

The Spanish side spent a lot on restructuring their attack in summer, including wide option Yannick Carrasco and several forwards, while Angel Correa has also emerged as an excellent first-team choice.

There's simply no need to add another body to an already congested area of the team, especially considering the money involved.

Verdict: False. Atleti could sign Calhanoglu before Milan rather than taking their players to allow the Serie A side to swoop for the Turk!

Diego Simeone to Chelsea

Our final rumour actually surrounds the manager rather than a player, but it's a winter move nonetheless, so in the absence of many transfer deals surrounding Atletico, it's worth looking at. A report from Simon Mullock of the Daily Mirror claims Chelsea are considering the Atleti manager as a replacement for Jose Mourinho. 

PIERRE-PHILIPPE MARCOU/Getty Images

The Atletico manager has won close to everything with the club since arriving. He's had domestic and European success and was within a few minutes of winning the Champions League, too, so it's no surprise to see the biggest sides on the Continent finding his mentality and record appealing.

Stylistically, it could be argued Simeone isn't a million miles away from Mourinho either, with both liking their players to forge a togetherness and battle-hardened spirit as a means of overcoming adversity—but the Argentinian has a plan in place to revolutionise Atletico Madrid. According to Football Espana, Simeone spoke about his vision of this younger-looking Atletico team coming through and "reinventing" the way the team played, while continuing to win trophies.

It's unlikely he'll want to move on at this point with such an exciting future ahead and a new contract having been signed last year.

Verdict: False on it actually happening, but no doubt some semblance of truth in Chelsea considering Simeone a potential replacement.

Follow @karlmatchett