Tiago and others to leave in the summer?

Atlético directors apparently unsatisfied with the midfielder's play this year

Posted by on March 26th, 2011 in General, Rumours -

ATLETICO MIDFIELDER TIAGO MENDES

Tiago to say goodbye at season's end? (Getty)

MARCA reports that Atlético will part ways with midfielder Tiago Mendes at the end of the season. On loan from Juventus since January of 2010, the former Chelsea man has reportedly not lived up to the club’s expectations and no effort will be made to retain him.

Atleti’s front office feels the central midfielder’s late arrival to pre-season had a hand in his decline. After taking a post-World Cup break, he spent days in Turin training with the Bianconeri while awaiting his fate to be decided, as it was clear that there was no room for him in the Serie A squad.

When Atlético and Juve finally agreed on a €5.5m purchase price for the former Portugal international, the deal stalled because Tiago wouldn’t accept the 50 per cent pay cut proposed by Rojiblanco directors. Eventually, a one-year loan was worked out that required Atleti to pay the player’s wages in full and he returned to Madrid.

In addition to the purported concerns about his sagging performance this season, Atleti will be hard-pressed to pay the soon-to-be 30-year-old’s €2.8m annual salary another year, especially considering Champions League qualification is now a virtual impossibility.

According to AS, Atlético’s budget will drop by €20m next season, from €135 to €115, and purse strings may tighten further if a Europa League berth isn’t secured.

Tiago currently earns about as much as winger Jose Antonio Reyes, and only superstars Sergio Aguero and Diego Forlan make more than those two.

The Colchoneros’ objective for some time now has been to reduce the wage bill, currently at about €75m. To that end, everyone on the team, with the exception of Kun Aguero, will be on the market at the end of the season, claims AS.

On a positive note, we will have no other choice than to rely on our most promising youth products for the 2011-12 campaign. Koke, Jorge Pulido, Alberto Perea and Borja will all likely see expanded roles on the first team.

In addition to Tiago, Antonio Lopez, Luis Perea, Juan Valera and Raul Garcia are all rumoured to be on their way out in June, given that their contracts expire at the end of next season. In order to avoid seeing these veterans exit for free then, the club will be looking to sell them while they remain contractually bound.

Is there anyone in particular you can’t wait to see gone? Let us know and we’ll see what we can do about it!


  • javi

    I agree with letting Tiago go and giving the canteranos a place on the first team.
    Of the other guys you mentioned I would only keep Perea.

  • starvs

    I would be worried about letting Tiago go as I think he has been our best midfielder, but at his price, I think he gotta go. Especially since it’s looking like they are trying to bring in a new play making midfielder, which is needed.

    I agree with Javi, keep only Perea. He is a clown sometimes, but he has his uses and can put it good minutes as a backup.

  • 20corona

    All players? even Godin and filipe Luis?

  • Ringo Schut

    It’s a rumour (I think).

    Even though I love canterano-use, I hope it won’t make us a club fighting against relegation (in the beginning).

    Do you guys think (not hope) that Forlan will stay another year?

  • palc

    As long as Raul Garcia goes, Im happy.

  • starvs

    I think Forlan is gone for sure at this point.

    Players I actually care about keeping: Kun, De Gea, Reyes, Godin, Felipe, Dominguez, Koke, Mario

    everyone else is somewhere from replaceable to highly replaceable for me

  • RojiBlanco

    Mario isn’t replaceable in your opinion?

  • SpeGo

    Yeah well Caparros or Emery would be fantastic if Quique must go. Emery is visionary so he is very capable of bulding a projecta nd i think Caparros is too. We need some direction here and these guys can bring some needed idea to our system. Many players must go but we dont even need to buy that many because of our talented cantera. Truth is that if Tiago goes and we dont find substituent we are in trouble! R.Garcia, Assuncao, Mario and Elias simply just arent guys capable of passing the ball or even protecting our backline. Koke is coming but pressure of being the number 1. would be too much at this point…

  • NiñoTorres

    I would try and keep hold of Elías as well. People have been a bit harsh on him so far, he has spent 3 months in a completely new continent and hasn’t done badly, works very hard for the team and always tries to get involved. I hope that next season we will see the best of Elías, when he is fully adjusted.

  • Edletico

    A complete overhaul wouldn’t be too bad. Starting with the manager Caparros would be brilliant. If the rumoured players are correct and a couple of caparros’ players we could have a better squad. Agree with starvs aswell we need to keep those players. Others can be replaced and improved on. would keep Tiago though

  • Sergio Lopez

    I think that we must keep De Gea (or Asenjo), Joel, Ujfalusi, Filipe, López, Godin, Alvaro, Miranda, Elias, Mario, Merida, Reyes, Jaunfran, Aguero + Miranda & Adrian, while Regalon, Pulido, Koke, Sergio Marcos & Borja should be given more opportunities. I think that the creative midfielders like Valero or Parejo, as well as a forward like Falcao should be captured…

  • R.G: to bad this one did not do any good at all almost, so he’s out. Forlán needs to shape up, and I could care less for Tiago honestly….

  • Javi

    I agree Elias is going to be good
    I would also loose Diego costa and get back toto salvio and if Forlan leaves I would start salvio with kun

  • SpeGo

    Ruben Perez has been amazing in Deportivo and if there’s any chance of bringing him back for next season that would be great! Also Cedric has played very well in Numancia so lets give Diego Costa some boot and bring Cedric back, he might be good cover and can play as a striker and as a winger. Im not so sure about Elias… He is not going to be a solution for playmaker problem and to be honest im pretty disappointed to his touch but hopefully when he settles his game would improve…

  • starvs

    I too think Elias still has a good chance to turn out well, I should have put him on my keep list. Mario is def replaceable, but I like him and think he has some talent.

    I don’t know much about either Ruben Perez or Cedric but I like the idea of bringing back young players who have succeeded on loan.

    What does anyone know about this Bobo guy from Bestikas who has been linked with us? Good replacement for Forlan as a striking partner for Augero? He is big and strong which I like for Kun’s partner…

  • Mert

    I’m unfortunately a pretty serious Besiktas fan, i promise Bobo is legit. spanish defenders are alot tougher for big strikers than turkish ones are tho…

  • javi

    SpeGo, remember it took Kun a couple of years to get playing well here, so lets give Elias a chance he was excellent in Brazil.

  • SpeGo

    Well I dont think you can compare them because Kun was very young when he came and Elias should already be a ready player. When we bought Kun we knew he was a project player but Elias is too old to be a project player. But I agree that we must give him time and support, he is showing heart already but im a bit worried about his other skills. Hopefully he will develop into a decent player 🙂

  • Alexander

    I think we HAVE TO drop Mario suarez, Raul garcia, Diego Costa and maybe Valera to get some new better players.

    I’ve hated Diego Costa from his first touch in this club and I will make a party in madrid if he leaves, lol.

    I want Tiago to stay because hes the one who allways do his job, atleast in a good way every match

  • Sweden

    Seriously, RG must go, Mario has some talent and has been doing it pretty good the last games. Elias will soon be where he was in Brazil, he is a very good player with a decent shot. A quick and skillful left winger like piatti or in worst case Cedric must join the team. Antonio Lopez has been crap this year and must go.. Osvaldo could be a good partner for Kun instead of Forlan.

  • I’m gone to say to my little brother, that he should also go to see this website on regular basis to take updated from latest news.