Atletico Madrid is staring down an August 19 La Liga season opener with a gaping, 93-goal hole in their front line. That’s the cold hard truth after Antoine Griezmann already bolted and the team faces the likely departures of Julian Alvarez and Alexander Sorloth, leaving Diego Simeone with a dangerously thin attack before a single competitive ball even gets kicked.
The Striker Situation Is a Nightmare
This is brutal. Griezmann is already off to Orlando City, leaving a huge void. Julian Alvarez has made it *crystal clear* he wants out, and this whole saga dragging on week after week means lost time for Atletico to identify, negotiate, and actually register a replacement. “La Araña” is definitely headed somewhere, even if the primary source is careful to note it’s not Barcelona or Real Madrid, and the club has to react accordingly. Then there’s Sorloth, also unlikely to stick around. Clubs in Italy are circling, and there’s talk of using him as a lever to secure Nico Gonzalez permanently from Juventus. Besiktas has even popped up, which would be a reunion after his breakthrough spell at Trabzonspor. Whether fans debate if Sorloth is good enough or not, if both he and Alvarez are gone by late August, their absence will be absolutely felt. That’s 93 goals from the last two seasons just *poof*, gone, and no amount of tactical flexibility can paper over that kind of deficit.
Are There Any Answers From Within? Nope.
So, what’s Simeone looking at inside the club? Not much. He’s tried Ademola Lookman as a second striker now and then toward the back end of last campaign. Lookman is decisive in tight spaces with a legitimate goal threat. The logic is understandable. But going from a supporting act to carrying 25-goal responsibility? That’s a massive leap, and Cores is right to be skeptical. Lookman is an outstanding wide attacker, not the natural focal point Simeone’s teams are always built around, especially with a dominant central finisher. Then there’s Fernando Torres’ Atletico Madrileño, who had Arnau Ortiz bag 23 league goals in the third tier last season. Miguel Cubo has also seen some centre-forward time in preseason sessions. But the gap between the third division and La Liga is brutal, and Simeone’s track record with youth promotion from August is extremely limited. These aren’t solutions born of conviction, they’re born of pure necessity.
The Transfer Market Isn’t Saving Them Either
That leaves the transfer market, and honestly, the options available are uninspiring at best. Dusan Vlahovic is unattached after leaving Juventus and *theoretically* he’s the kind of low-cost solution that suits a club under salary-cap pressure. The Serbian is still only 26, speaks the Italian in which Simeone naturally communicates, and Atletico even wanted him when he was tearing up Serie A for Fiorentina. But here’s the massive problem: he is not that player anymore. His output at Juventus declined steadily, and signing him now would be a huge bet on recapturing form he may have lost for good. Viktor Gyokeres has been mentioned in connection with Atletico too, with some reporting framing his potential arrival as the “mechanism” for something else. This whole situation is wild, and the clock is ticking.
With August 19 just around the corner, Atletico has to figure something out, and fast. Starting the season with this kind of uncertainty upfront is a major red flag, and the numbers are too loud to ignore. Will they land a surprise signing to plug that 93-goal hole, or will Simeone have to perform miracles with what’s left? Atletico fans better be ready for a wild few weeks before the season kicks off.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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