Messi’s key Argentina teammate could leave Atletico Madrid for $23 million Brazil move to rival Neymar
With less than six months to go until the 2026 FIFA World Cup, players are looking to secure their spots with their respective national teams, and many are seeking moves that will guarantee regular playing time at club level. That is the situation facing one of Lionel Messi’s teammates with Argentina, who could depart Atletico Madrid to become a rival of Neymar in Brazil’s top division.
“The club’s board, led by Enrique Cerezo, has placed Almada on the transfer list and is now awaiting offers to negotiate his sale in the January transfer window,” Infobae explained, citing a Cadena Ser report.
This refers to Thiago Almada, the Argentine attacking midfielder who joined Atletico Madrid at the start of the season from Olympique Lyonnais. Since then, he has made 15 appearances across La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the UEFA Champions League, starting only six of those matches while recording two goals and one assist.
Head coach Diego Simeone has not given Almada the prominent role many expected, especially considering he is now a key player for the Argentina national team. As a result, and given the significant investment made to acquire him, Atletico Madrid are reportedly looking to offload the player to ease the club’s financial situation and open the door for new signings.
Will Almada return to Brazil?
Among the possible destinations should Almada leave Atletico Madrid during the January transfer window is Brazil. The midfielder already played there during the second half of 2024, when he starred for Botafogo and helped the club win both the Serie A title and the Copa Libertadores.
Gremio are, according to Infobae, the main club interested in signing Almada. “The Porto Alegre-based club has expressed interest in bringing in the Argentine midfielder on loan with an option to buy,” the report said. However, that proposal does not align with Atletico Madrid’s plans, as UOL reports the Spanish club is seeking a $23 million sale in exchange for 50 percent of his economic rights.
If the two clubs manage to bridge the gap and Thiago Almada completes his return to Brazil, it would represent a major boost for the Brazilian league. The presence of a World Cup winner like Almada would add to a growing list of elite stars, most notably Neymar, who recently agreed to renew his contract with Santos.
Almada appears to have his World Cup spot secured
At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Thiago Almada was added to Argentina’s squad at the last minute following an injury to Nicolas Gonzalez. At the time, he had played just 36 minutes for the national team, all of them coming in a friendly against Honduras months earlier.
During that World Cup, Almada played a limited role and only appeared in the closing minutes of the group-stage match against Poland. However, as the years have gone by, his importance within the squad has steadily grown.
In 2025, Almada started five matches in the South American qualifiers and even scored crucial goals against Uruguay and Colombia. With that track record, it is widely considered a near certainty that Lionel Scaloni will include the midfielder in his 26-man squad for the World Cup in North America, although a move to a club where he can earn more consistent playing time would only strengthen his chances further.