Obed Vargas misses Athletic matchday squad to chase a loan

Obed Vargas, the Mexican midfielder of Atlético Madrid, was left out of the team’s latest matchday squad for this Saturday’s trip to San Mamés against Athletic Club, despite taking part in the morning training session with the rest of the group. After that, Diego Pablo Simeone decided not to include him, something that had already happened in previous fixtures, according to Mundo Deportivo.

Not in the San Mamés squad

So the player will not travel as part of the plan that has been to find him a loan move. The report recalls that Atlético are still trying to place him even though the domestic transfer window in Spain is already closed. One attempted route was a possible loan to the Alavés, but it didn’t go through because Antonio Blanco did not leave Vitoria as scheduled, per Mundo Deportivo.

Loan options still open abroad

With that option off the table, the club—together with the player and his representatives—turns again to markets where there’s still time to complete a deal. Mundo Deportivo notes that Vargas still has several potential windows to be resolved, since the market closes tonight in Turkey, on Saturday in Portugal, on Sunday in Saudi Arabia, on 12 September in Mexico and Brazil, on 15 September in Greece, and then the following day in Morocco and Japan.

Included for Champions League

Even without travelling to San Mamés, Atlético have kept him in their list A for the Champions League, where he is listed with shirt number 3. The situation, then, isn’t over: if a destination is found before the remaining international deadlines, Vargas would aim to keep building experience with regular playing time.

As Mundo Deportivo highlights, Atlético’s search for a destination continues while the club approaches this match with the backdrop of transfer business that couldn’t be wrapped up in time.