Alexis Sanchez Would Be a Great Signing for Atletico Madrid, but an Unlikely One
The 2015-16 season isn't finished yet, but predictably, thoughts are already turning to the summer ahead and where teams can strengthen in the transfer window.
For Atletico Madrid, the attack is still clearly an area they can improve in, and the Mirror have reported that both they and Juventus are interested in spending big on Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez, with a £35 million bid possible from both.
It would certainly be an excellent addition for Atletico to make over the summer, with Alexis having the blend of technicality and aggression to make him a fine fit in many ways to Diego Simeone's squad, but it's not a move which is hugely likely to happen.
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Top-tier talent
It's an easy point to make to start with: Alexis is a great player, so adding him to the squad would be a step forward. It's not just ability on the ball which means the deal would make sense, though; as shown with the Jackson Martinez deal last summer, perceived quality isn't the only factor which determines if a player will be a success or not.
Alexis, though, has already shown himself a reliable and consistent performer in La Liga, starring for a period at Barcelona before being gradually squeezed out as they signed younger and bigger-named talents...such as Neymar.
At Arsenal, and on the international stage with Chile, he has continued to show that kind of form on a regular basis, suffering a slight downturn this season after injury hit early in the campaign. But he remains one of the game's top attacking talents, a genuine top-tier player rather than a player of "potential" or inconsistent good form.
Tactical fit
Importantly, Alexis is a good fit for Simeone's tactics at Atletico.
At their best, Los Rojiblancos seamlessly switch between 4-3-3 in possession to 4-4-2 off the ball, with one of the wide forwards tucking into the middle, allowing a press from high upfield. Sanchez would certainly fit in with that style, being capable of playing off either flank and having the stamina and work rate to fight aggressively for possession.
It's also worth noting his centre-forward exploits on the international scene—a front two of Alexis and Antoine Griezmann would have a lot of pace, ability to run at defenders and movement, though it's likely it would leave Griezmann as the farthest forward player, with Alexis dropping into the channels.
There might not be many other attackers around this summer whom Simeone could hand-pick and find to be a better tactical fit who is also already the finished product.
Unlikely signing?
So why, if he fits so well, is he an unlikely signing? Simply put, Alexis doesn't really seem like he fits as an Atletico signing.
Their recent transfer history has shown a tendency to go for a younger support cast, especially in attack, and an out-and-out striker rather than a mobile and positionally varied forward is where they have spent big on an established name. Jackson didn't work out, but they have since been linked with Diego Costa, their former forward, who would be another more stereotypical striker to lead the line ahead of Griezmann rather than drift behind or alongside him.
Add in Arsenal being unlikely to part with one of their biggest assets unless he vociferously demands a return to La Liga, and it's hard to see Alexis not having other options too—including Juve if the report is to believed. There are simply lots of obstacles in Atletico's way to conclude this deal.
Signing Sanchez would be an amazing deal for Los Rojiblancos, and it makes sense on a lot of levels, but it's probably a pipe dream at this stage—perhaps unless they can pull off a Champions League victory and convince the Chilean that he can enjoy further big success if he moves to the Calderon.
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