Atletico Madrid looking to land low-cost No 9 next summer

The season is coming to an end and the different teams are starting to take stock of how the year has gone. In addition, the sporting directors are getting down to work looking for the best options on the market to reinforce their squads.

Atletico Madrid's offices are buzzing with activity. The 'Colchoneros' season has had its ups and downs. Many positive conclusions can be drawn, although there are also many negative ones. A historic opportunity to reach another Champions League final was squandered, as they played on the more 'affordable' side of the table. In the Copa del Rey, the elimination against Athletic left its mark and in La Liga they never competed for the title.

The Metropolitano has become a real fortress. Of the 26 games played so far, the 'Colchonero' side have won 23, drawn one and lost two. In contrast, the team's results away from home have been unbefitting for a team of Atleti's quality. It has been their main weakness as they have suffered 11 defeats and 5 draws in all competitions. They have only won 8 games away games.

Although it has been a good scoring year, beating the goalscoring records of recent seasons (with 4 games still to play, the team have scored 98 goals, 13 more than in the whole of last year), the search for a pure centre forward is still the order of the day at the Metropolitano. It is a regular operation every summer and given the economic limitations of the club, the board could opt for 3 very good options for free.

Of course, we are talking about the 'Colchoneros' loan strikers, but, specifically, focusing on three names: Samu Omorodion, Giuliano Simeone and Carlos Martín.

The first of them was an 'in extremis' gamble a few days before the market closed in the summer. However, the Alaves player has already shown that he is more than capable of earning a place in Cholo Simeone's forward line. He has played 32 games, 21 of them as a starter. He has scored 8 goals (top scorer of his team) and has provided one assist. His great physical prowess and his good aerial play (3 headed goals) make him an attacker with qualities reminiscent of the best Falcao or Diego Costa.

Also at Alaves we find the figure of Giuliano Simeone. Without a doubt, he is well known to Cholo, as he is his father. At 21 years of age, he has not yet managed to show all the football he has and this season he has barely been able to play 540 minutes due to the serious injury he suffered in pre-season. However, in the few games he has played, he has already shown himself to be a striker with hunger, who presses and is tireless when it comes to working on the pitch. A prototypical striker of the kind that the Metropolitano likes.

Lastly, one who is not in La Liga, but who is excelling in Spain's second tier: Carlos Martin. He is a regular in the Mirandes line-up, with 37 games played, of which he has started 30 of them. He has 15 goals and 2 assists, placing him in the 'top 5' scorers of the category and being the top goalscorer of his team.