Atletico Madrid disappeared early from the Club World Cup this month. Although Diego Simeone praised his players and said how proud he was of their efforts, everyone knows that the Argentine has had two goals since 2011: secure a Champions League ticket every season and go all in for the titles. Last season, Atletico disappeared from the CL in the round of 8 against Real Madrid, in La Liga a third place. Now it’s rigging for more, surprisingly, but still not surprisingly, an American national team player (22 games) is brought in.
Jonny Cardoso was born in New Jersey, but moved to Brazil with his family as an infant. He started his professional career with Brazilian team Internacional in 2019, before making his debut on the senior team for the U.S. men’s national team (USMNT) one year later. He made 144 appearances in the Internacional shirt before moving to Europe and Real Betis €6 million in January 2024. Here, the defensive midfielder immediately made his mark in La Liga.
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Cardoso’s impact on Betis was significant. In 46 games, he also scored four goals and played a key role in the club’s sixth-place finish in La Liga and in the Europa Conference League final, where they lost to Chelsea.
According to hyperactive transfer journalist Romano, the parties have agreed on a Cardoso transfer to Atletico Madrid for €30 million, plus €2 million in bonuses. Cardoso is touted to strengthen Simeone’s midfield.
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