Marca on Friday has revealed another name from Atlético de Madrid’s list of options to replace Conor Gallagher in midfield: FC Barcelona’s Marc Casadó.
David Medina and Isaac Suárez say that Atlético’s
top priority is Wolverhampton Wanderers pivot João Gomes, a move that super-agent Jorge Mendes is trying to engineer. But La Masia graduate Casadó is searching for minutes, and he would consider leaving Barcelona on a permanent deal to get them. If Atleti’s initial negotiations for Gomes do not progress, then Casadó would be an alternative.
Though Casadó is under contract for two more years and has a €100 million release clause, it is believed that Barça would sell him for far less. The 22-year-old’s market value on Transfermarkt is set at €25 million; my guess is Atleti would not have to pay much more than that, but the clubs haven’t been in contact over the player just yet.
Casadó began the 2024/25 campaign as a starter under Hansi Flick. But after he suffered a knee injury, the resurgent Frenkie de Jong took his spot in the middle of the season and has kept it ever since. Casadó has made just six starts in LaLiga for the Blaugrana, who lead Real Madrid by four points and enter the second half of the season as favorites to win the title again.
Signing Casadó wouldn’t especially move me, and I don’t see it as a super-realistic option right now anyway. Casadó has decent technique on the ball but he is not physically dominant; he’s not able to control a match like de Jong and Pedri do, hence why he doesn’t start for Flick. Casadó is a pure holding midfielder, and if Johnny Cardoso is healthy, then Atlético need to sign someone more complete to play alongside Pablo Barrios. I would like to see Atalanta’s Éderson or AS Roma’s Manu Koné here; the latter would be nearly impossible to acquire now, but Éderson is a long-standing target and Atlético have a warm relationship with Atalanta.
But given how many deals they have done with Barça in recent years, and seeing as they will need to sign a new #6 whenever Koke leaves, I do wonder if Atleti will revisit Casadó in a later window.
