Atletico Madrid are yet to manage any transfer business this summer but have started reshaping things from the bench. On Wednesday afternoon the club announced that Gustavo Lopez would be joining their coaching staff ahead of the coming season.
Lopez spent 12 years in Spain as a player, chiefly at Celta Vigo, as well as shorter spells at Real Zaragoza and Cadiz. Lopez was a sturdy striker and played for Argentina for 7 years too, where he crossed paths with manager Diego Simeone.
The past 12 years of his career have been as an analyst in Spanish football at Movistar+ and la SER, as per Diario AS. No further information was given in terms of the role he would occupy, but he joins Assistant Manager Nelson Vivas, Fitness Coach Oscar Ortega, Technical Assistant Hernan Bonvicini and Goalkeeping Coach Pablo Vercellone on the coaching staff.
Simeone continues to surround himself with a trusted team that he knows personally. Atletico will be hoping it works better than the last time a high profile TV analyst came into coaching at the top level. Although Lopez won’t be a manager per se, Gary Neville serves as a word of warning that the transition is far from easy.
