Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank gestures during the UEFA Super Cup 2025 match. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images)
Atlético Madrid are aiming to beat Tottenham and Real Madrid with the signing of Argentine defensive sensation Lautaro Rivero.
The libero’s sensational rise at River Plate not only helped him break into the Argentina national team, but also landed him on the wishlists of Tottenham, Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid.
Lautaro Rivero is in demand
The European giants are keen to sign the 22-year-old as they aim to strengthen their backline. According to DSports via SportWitness, the Spanish side are aiming to get ahead of Tottenham and Real Madrid in the race to sign the libero.
The Argentinian centre-back enjoyed an impressive one-year loan spell at Central Cordoba, which helped him break into River Plate’s starting XI. He has shown great maturity and his ability to read the game and man-marking skills are the main reasons manager Diego Simeone wants to have him in his squad.
Atlético and Real Madrid are keen to sign Libero
He wants to improve the quality at the back and feels the libero can help the team both in the short and long term. Los Rojiblancos are working hard to sign the 22-year-old, who is also on the wishlist of Tottenham and Real Madrid.
Thomas Frank is looking to strengthen his defensive rotation and a libero could be a valuable addition to the squad. Meanwhile, Los Blancos are always on the lookout for young players with great potential and believe the Argentine international is the perfect fit for their project.
With the futures of David Alaba and Antonio Rudiger up in the air, the libero could be a strong option for a long-term replacement. Atlético are confident of convincing him of their project, but they may struggle financially as he has a huge €87 million release clause.
