Atletico Madrid’s squad rebuild is gaining pace after the end of the 2025/2026 season. Following the departure of Antoine Griezmann, Diego Simeone has now made another major decision involving two senior players.
Simeone cuts two defenders from his plans
Atletico Madrid are preparing more changes after a season that has already brought a symbolic departure. Antoine Griezmann has left the club and is expected to continue his career in MLS, but he will not be the only experienced figure moving on.
According to Matteo Moretto, Diego Simeone has informed Clement Lenglet and Jose Maria Gimenez that they are not part of his plans for the next campaign. Both defenders are therefore expected to leave the club this summer.
Lenglet’s future already seems clear. The French centre-back is set to terminate his contract with Atletico and leave as a free agent. He has already agreed terms on a three-year contract with Benfica, so the official confirmation of that move should only be a matter of time
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Gimenez allowed to look for a new club
The bigger emotional story concerns Jose Maria Gimenez. The Uruguayan joined Atletico Madrid in 2013 and became one of the most recognisable defensive figures of the Simeone era.
Across more than a decade in the Spanish capital, Gimenez played 382 official matches for the club. That number is now unlikely to increase, as Simeone has given him permission to search for a new team.
At this stage, Gimenez’s next destination remains unclear. Unlike Lenglet, he does not yet appear to have a fully arranged move. Still, the message from Atletico is direct: the club are moving into a new phase and even long-serving players are no longer protected by status or history.
For Atletico, the decisions underline a broader squad reset. For Lenglet, the next step is already close. For Gimenez, the summer now becomes a search for the right project after the end of a long chapter in Madrid.