Atletico Madrid Backtrack on Moving Koke Central with Transfer Bid for Fernandez

Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone has all but confirmed his team's intention to sign Augusto Fernandez from Celta Vigo in January, after a series of comments made in the Spanish media.

AS are reporting that the manager wants central midfielder Fernandez in place for training at Atletico by the end of December, even though he cannot be registered or play for a new club in Spain until January 4. There are also still complications surrounding his registration, with Celta needing to buy the remaining 50 percent of the player's registration rights from former club Velez Sarsfield in Argentina before Atleti can sign him from Celta for around €6 million.

While the deal looks a good one for the Rojiblancos in terms of the quality they'll add and the money they'll fork out, it marks a clear alteration from the season-starting plans of using Koke more frequently as a central-midfield option, with the No. 6 not having featured in that role heavily even since Tiago broke his leg.

Simeone is further reported by Marca as saying: "We've known about [Augusto] since he was very young. I had him with me at River...in the last few years in Vigo, under the leadership of Berizzo, he's been performing very well as a central midfielder, and he's a player who is showing all of his quality in La Liga," while Marca also indicate that a three-and-a-half year deal is already agreed.

Summer Intentions

As pre-season got under way for Atletico, the early games were an indication of the manager's thinking: Koke played in the middle, and Simeone himself stated that the idea was to help the evolution of the team in this way. The boss spoke with AS (h/t Football Espana) on the move: "We’re in an important situation. The team needs a change, a new stimulus. The way I see it, for example, is for Koke to go in the double pivot. That is going to start generating a team from another idea. And we need that. I’m convinced it’s that time."

Most people agreed.

Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images

Koke's movement, work rate and aggression in the challenge were perfect for an Atletico midfielder, but his composure on the ball, creativity and passing range would all be a step up.

It hasn't happened, though, even though Koke usually plays centrally for Spain when involved with the national team, and with now two likely midfield additions in January—Matias Kranevitter is on the way from River Plate—it seems more remote than ever that Koke will indeed move into the middle.

Midfield Alterations

The Atletico Madrid lineup has undergone a series of in-game switches this season, primarily from a 4-4-2 to a 4-3-3, also readable as a 4-1-4-1 out of possession. When leaving just one up top, it has inevitably meant Antoine Griezmann shifts wide, with Koke forming one of three central players—but that's the extent of it so far for the talented playmaker in terms of game time at the heart of the midfield.

Gabi and Tiago has remained the preferred partnership; Saul Niguez has come into the team more recently after Tiago's injury and Thomas Partey has made the odd appearance, too, again centrally.

Denis Doyle/Getty Images

In the most recent fixture, away to Malaga, the 4-4-2 lineup was perhaps most telling in terms of Simeone's plans with Koke as it again left him on the right side, with Gabi and Saul central. Even late on in the game once Gabi had seen a red card shown his way, it was Thomas who filtered in centrally in a revamped shape, with Saul deepest. Koke flitted from the channels and tried to come infield to help counter-attacks, but Atleti as a whole were well below their best on this occasion.

It's, of course, conceivable that Fernandez could hold position behind Koke and one other in a 4-3-3, but Atleti's best games and more potent attacking threats have so far come with two strikers.

Cholo now faces a tactical balancing act as well as fitting in key names to his regular XI.

Augusto in January

Is it a lack of faith in Saul as an immediate, consistent option? It shouldn't be, judging by recent performances—the young midfielder has been one of Atleti's better players in the last few games. Is it a desire to switch to a more regular 4-3-3 system by the boss? Is there a fear that Tiago will not recover from injury enough, or that Kranevitter will not immediately settle into the team?

Whatever the reason—or combination of reasons—Atletico look now almost certain to press ahead with signing the Celta Vigo man.

MIGUEL RIOPA/Getty Images

Augusto Fernandez has proved himself over the past couple of campaigns as a hugely competent holding midfielder—a much different player to when he roamed the channels or looked to work hard offensively in his earlier career, now instead being the man who wins back possession for Celta and distributes it quickly. The rumoured price tag of less than €6 million makes him an absolute steal if he shows similar levels of consistency and quality in red and white stripes and, with Tiago out until March, Fernandez will have an early chance to nail himself down a place in the team.

It's another addition for Atleti, and the quality he'll bring cannot be argued against, but it's indicative of a departure from the expected path of progression for Koke, and thus for the latest evolution of the Atleti team as a whole.

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