LaLiga: Atletico's transfer ban will impact the Premier League and throws Lacazette and Costa deals into doubt

Silly season is well and truly upon us. We simply need to fill the void left by the lack of football in our lives. Sure, we can try and convince ourselves the Confederations Cup is important but we all know it isn’t. Remember when the USA beat Spain? Did it change the outlook of world football as we knew it?

For most fans the lack of club football has turned us into news-hungry animals. The need for information, true or not, is essentially an addiction and no one wants to go cold turkey. Switch off Twitter for a few hours you say? But what if I miss something important? We live in a time where a player following an account or liking a tweet is suddenly breaking news. We also refuse to close that Google Translate tab just in case.

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The problem for those wanting to bring you genuine, well-researched news is that patience doesn’t exist. The objective is to be first, to get those sweet retweets and move onto the next story. Our obsession to click on everything devalues the good stuff. Hourly updates on rumoured transfer targets, please.

So as we desperately refresh our social media feeds, spare a thought for Atletico Madrid’s fan base. While others are fretting over who could line up for their team in the opening fixtures of next season, Atletico will stick with what they’ve got. Their transfer ban was upheld and they’re unable to add new faces to their squad until January.

Maybe they’re the lucky ones?

Transfer ban opens up Premier League move for Lacazette

However one team’s misfortunes could actually in turn help benefit the Premier League. Those elusive targets, players Atletico had spoken to and put in the groundwork for a future move, are suddenly caught in limbo. Some even said their goodbyes. Yet with Atletico a no-go until January, it opens the door for others to swoop in and poach the previously unattainable players.

Alexandre Lacazette is somewhat of a transfer market mainstay. It feels like we can’t go an entire window without him being linked with a switch to England. Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham have all seen themselves thrown into the mix for the French striker’s coveted signature at one time or another. But, despite the allure of England, Lacazette has continually opted to stay at Lyon instead.

Until now.

“We had given Alex the green light to go to Atletico, the club of his heart,” Lyon’s president Jean-Michel Aulas told the media at the beginning of this month. ”But I had said to Alexandre not to get too far ahead of himself, as there can always be disappointments in football.” Atletico’s transfer ban seemingly shelved the agreed €40m move but it’s given other teams hope.

Lacazette an option if Mbappe move falls through for Arsenal

Arsenal view Lacazette as a more accessible option if their ambitious swoop for Kylian Mbappe proves unsuccessful. While everyone in Europe would love to add Mbappe to their ranks the Gunners are at a disadvantage because they’re unable to offer Champions League football. Lacazette would also prefer to play in Europe’s elite competition but a chance to work under Arsene Wenger, as well as alongside fellow French internationals, could tip the balance in Arsenal’s favour.

Rumours suggest Manchester United see Lacazette as an alternative to Alvaro Morata. Is there a striker Jose Mourinho’s team haven’t been linked with this summer?

Costa’s dream move ‘home’ dashed for the second summer running?

Another team Atletico’s ban has impacted is Chelsea. The love-hate relationship with Diego Costa seems to have reached its natural conclusion but the Spanish striker’s first option isn’t as straight forward anymore.

Costa was desperate for an Atleti return last summer until he saw Chelsea close the door on any exit. Atletico moved for Kevin Gameiro instead forcing Costa to spend another 12 months at Chelsea. He topped the scoring charts ahead of Christmas but a very public fallout with Antonio Conte meant his time in South London was running out.

Atletico were the natural destination but their transfer ban, coupled with a World Cup next summer, mean a solution is no longer clear. Julen Lopetegui spoke with Costa during the recent international break and told him that a move to China would rule him out of the Spain squad next summer.

Atletico hope to have both Lacazette and Costa to call upon in January

But it isn’t all doom and gloom in Madrid – nor for both these deals. Lacazette’s desire to play for Atletico has sparked rumours he could stay at Lyon until the summer before moving to Spain in January. This option appeals to the French club more than selling him cheaper elsewhere.

Regarding Costa there’s potentially good news also. While a move to the Chinese Super League would essentially end his international career, Lopetegui was more open to him sitting on the sidelines for six months. Of course, it would put huge pressure on Costa to perform from January until the end of the season. The idea of a ‘bridge loan’ to another Spanish side is an option but only if he doesn’t feature for Chelsea before then.

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Dani Ceballos, one of the stars of Spain’s U21 campaign, is another Atletico target. The idea of him staying at Real Betis until January might appeal to all parties. Plus it’d be easier for Ceballos to break into the Atletico squad than it would say Real Madrid’s.

A transfer ban could give the kids a chance

The transfer ban turned into something of a blessing for Real Madrid as it allowed those at the club to focus on playing and not on speculation. Youngsters were given a chance as they knew no major signings would be coming in. Atletico, like their city rivals, had prepared for the worst beforehand.

Axel Werner, Sime Vrsaljko, Diogo Jota all signed last summer. And even in the previous season, while fellow LaLiga side Barcelona were serving their own transfer ban, plans were put in place for the future. Stefan Savic, Luciano Vietto, Yannick Carrasco, Matias Kranevitter, Bernard Mensah and Santos Borre joined in 2015. The oldest of those being Savic at just 24.

This is a squad ready for next season without any new recruits. Diego Simeone’s veterans are household names but the base of the squad is extremely young. To demonstrate this, Antoine Griezmann would be one of the oldest players likely to start next season and he’s 26. Diego Godin, Filipe Luis and Gabi are the only ones older than the Frenchman.

Losing Theo Hernandez to Real Madrid is a blow but while Filipe Luis continues to perform at a high level, the left-back slot is strong. Kranevitter, who was on loan at Sevilla, will look to establish himself in Atletico’s squad next season. Angel Correa, too, has the potential to lock down a starting spot and is only 22.

No new arrivals is offset by no major outgoings either

Of course another benefit to the transfer ban is that it means they are under no pressure to sell. People expected Griezmann to leave and the futures of both Jan Oblak and Diego Simeone were up in the air. The bond these players have, and particularly under Simeone’s leadership, means no one wants to leave the club in a defenceless situation.

I guess we’ll never know for sure whether Griezmann wanted to join Manchester United or not. However the transfer ban certainly ended any hope the English side had of luring him away.

Atletico might have seen their transfer plans throw in the bin – for six months at least – but if they follow city rivals Real Madrid’s lead, it might turn out to be a blessing in disguise.