Mateu Alemany prepares €40M for a midfielder

Atlético de Madrid is closely monitoring Mamadou Coulibaly, a 22-year-old midfielder from AS Monaco, as a potential addition to strengthen the midfield. Although the information published by Ekrem Konur places his current valuation around 20 million euros, the Monaco club demands 40 to let the French player go, who is highly favored by Mateu Alemany.

The operation faces competition. Brentford, Newcastle, and Napoli are also among the clubs following the development of the French player, whose contract with Monaco ends in June 2028.

The interest aligns with the search for midfielders who can provide stamina and physicality to Diego Simeone's team. Furthermore, Coulibaly has room for growth and already has experience in Ligue 1, a situation that explains the attention he is attracting in the European market.

Mamadou Coulibaly, a future investment for Atlético de Madrid

Coulibaly is 22 years old, born in Paris, and developed in the Monaco youth academy, where he arrived in 2019. He is a left-footed midfielder who can play as a defensive midfielder or inside, with the ability to participate in build-up play and recover balls.

His statistics support his progress. In the 2025/26 season, he played 25 Ligue 1 matches, scoring 3 goals and 3 assists. At the start of the current season, he had participated in seven official matches with the Monaco team, scoring one goal, according to the club's own records.

The valuation of 20 million euros reported by Konur should not be confused with the price Monaco could demand. According to French media reports, the Principality club is considering an amount between 35 and 40 million to evaluate his departure. Additionally, his current contract extends until 2028 and the club is interested in extending it until 2030.

Image

Mateu Alemany will face competition for the signing

Atlético de Madrid is not the only team that has included Coulibaly's name in its monitoring. Newcastle and Brentford represent the Premier League competition, while Napoli is also keeping an eye on his situation.

For Alemany, the main challenge will be to assess whether it is worth making an investment for a player who is still developing his career. The 40 million euros being considered as a possible budget for the operation would bring them closer to Monaco's demands, although there is no confirmation that Atlético has offered that amount.

The upcoming winter market will be an initial opportunity to see if the monitoring turns into contact between clubs. Mateu Alemany will have to decide whether to move forward with Coulibaly or wait for his contractual situation at Monaco to evolve. For now, Atlético de Madrid faces competition and has an economic reference that could exceed 40 million euros.