OFFICIAL: Atletico sign De Paul on five-year deal

With the 2021/22 season around the corner, Atletico will be looking to retain their crown as La Liga champions. They have already their first real statement in the transfer market in defence of their title.

The club have finally completed the signing of Rodrigo de Paul from Udinese, after Simeone spent ages trying to bring him in to his side. He asked the board directly, he personally called the player himself, until he finally now has him in his ranks. The recent champion of the Copa America with Argentina will sign for Atletico on a five year deal until 2026.

The club themselves are yet to post the official figures, but it's reported that they will pay Udinese 35 million euros for the midfielder. After his successful Copa America campaign came to an end, De Paul passed his medical with his new employers and finally put pen to paper on a deal.

In the 2020/22 campaign for Udinese, the midfielder started every one of the 38 games in Serie A. In that time he scored nine goals and provided his teammates with eleven assists.

De Paul started his career in his home country with Racing. After a brief spell in Spain with Valencia during the 2014/15 campaign, he returned to his boyhood club for another season. From that point he eventually joined Udinese, where he spent five years. Now, he returns to Spain, looking for a more prominent spell in the Spanish top flight.

“I’m very happy, I’m going to join LaLiga’s champion and I’m conscious of the responsibility it carries," De Paul said in a statement on Atletico's website. "It is a big step in my football career. Moreover, because of the timing, just after winning the Copa América. This fills me of strength to meet all expectations."

 

July 12, 2021