Atlético in talks with Zenit to sign Colombian striker Mateo Cassierra | OneFootball

Atlético is in negotiations with Zenit, from Russia, to sign the Colombian striker Mateo Cassierra, 28 years old. The information was first reported by the Russian press and confirmed by the portal Deus Me Dibre this Thursday (15).

Cassierra is enjoying a good spell in Russian football and fits the profile sought by Galo to fill a historic gap in the squad: a reference number 9. Atlético has not had a starting center forward since Deyverson’s departure at the beginning of last year.

Standing at 1.86m tall, Cassierra is strong in aerial duels and has a good presence in the box. This season, he has mainly played as the reference man in Zenit’s attack, but has also played as a second striker, at times forming a partnership with the Argentine Luciano Gondou, formerly of Argentinos Juniors.

Another point that stands out in his playing style is his speed, which is unusual for a player of his physical stature. This characteristic could offer Atlético, if they sign him, tactical versatility in the offensive sector.

For Zenit, the Colombian boasts impressive numbers:

This represents a direct goal involvement every 109 minutes, an average considered highly relevant for a center forward.

Revealed by Deportivo Cali, Cassierra built his international career playing for Ajax and Groningen (Netherlands), Racing (Argentina), Belenenses SAD (Portugal), Sochi (Russia), before arriving at Zenit, where he established himself.

The striker has also worn the Colombian national team jersey on three occasions, scoring one goal.

If the deal goes through, Cassierra will arrive to be a key piece in the black-and-white attack and compete for a spot in the offensive sector alongside names like Hulk.

Atlético’s activity in the market remains intense. The club has already officially signed Renan Lodi, Alan Minda, and Maycon and is expected to announce in the coming days the arrival of full-back Preciado, who is already in Belo Horizonte.

Galo is working behind the scenes to close the deal with Zenit and hopes to provide coach Sampaoli with another major reinforcement for the remainder of the season.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.