Thiago Almada could be leaving Atletico Madrid with Boca Juniors on the radar.
Almada joined Atletico Madrid from Botafogo at the start of the season but has not been a regular under coach Diego Simeone. According to Fernando Czyz, Almada’s agent is presently in Madrid negotiating his departure.
The 25 year old has a contract with Atletico until June 2030 but would not be against returning to Argentina. Almada has played in 26 league matches, many of them coming off the bench as a substitute.
Emi Buendia’s excellent form and versatility in playing various roles, such as left forward, number 10, or number 8, suggest he would be a valuable addition to the World Cup squad.
Agreed his form cant be ignored
Club form is always not an indicator of how one contributes to the national team. Buendia had his chances, however little it might be. I am not sure if he fits into this scheme of affairs. Scaloni might not want to take chances with unknown ones – Nico Paz, Barco, Almada proved themselves in the national team.
Mateo Silvetti looks very promising. He has developed a good understanding with Lionel Messi and his Inter teammates. He already has 3 goals and 2 assists in 9 matches. He is physically strong and has decent speed in the final third. I think he will do well in Europe whenever he decides to make the jump.
Post-World Cup, players like Thiago Almada, Nico G, and a few others should no longer be selected. It’s time for a hard reset. Even though Argentina national football team has already qualified for the 2030 FIFA World Cup as a host nation, they still need to approach every match with the mentality that qualification is still on the line. They should take Italy national football team as a warning example after failing to qualify for multiple recent World Cups.
The Argentine league is also declining. It is increasingly filled with aging players looking for one last paycheck before retirement, which does little to help the long-term development of young talent.