"A goal animal" - Diego Simeone lauds Erling Haaland and drops hint on Joao Felix's future amid Barcelona rumors

Atletico Madrid head coach Diego Simeone has hailed Erling Haaland's goalscoring prowess.

Manchester City paid Borussia Dortmund £52 million to sign Haaland last summer. In his first season in England, the Norwegian scored 52 goals and picked up nine assists. He helped the Cityzens win three trophies — Premier League, FA Cup, and the UEFA Champions League.

Haaland was in scintillating form in the 2022-23 season. No player in Manchester City history has scored more than him in a season and no Premier League player has scored more in a season. Such was the 23-year-old's dominance that he took home the club, league, and the PFA Player of the Year awards.

In an interview with Spanish outlet AS, Diego Simeone stated that Haaland plays the striker's role to perfection.

"Haaland is a goal animal, he is perfection in that 9 that lives facing goal. The growth of City is to recover what his game demanded of him. Haaland had to arrive to confirm the Champions League. Sometimes he is not enough for you just by playing well," the Argentine said.

When asked to compare him with Kylian Mbappe, Simeone said that they were too different in their styles to be compared.

"Nothing to do, they are different," he pointed out.

Looking at his team, Atletico Madrid, ahead of the 2023-24 campaign, Simeone touched upon the future of Joao Felix, the Portuguese forward who spent the second half of last season on loan at Chelsea.

Atletico paid Benfica €126 million to sign Felix in 2019. The 23-year-old, however, has failed to live up to his massive price tag. He scored just 34 goals and provided 18 assists in 131 games across all competitions for the La Liga giants. With Chelsea last season, he managed to score just four goals in 20 appearances.

When asked if Felix could succeed at Atletico, Simeone said that "extraordinary conditions" were needed for that to happen. He also refused to speak about his future, instead stating that his focus was on the entire squad and not just one player.

"It has extraordinary conditions, we have talked about it a billion times. You see him and he has a good header, a good shot with the left, with the right, good spin, one on one… Time? It's not up to me, ask him and his representative," the 53-year-old said.

"The big focus is the team. It is normal that in the press and whether he stays or leaves, he generates a focus. I already said that there is no one more important than the club, but no one. Before that clearer, impossible," he added.

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"There is no rush" - Diego Simeone on his Atletico Madrid contract extension

Diego Simeone has been in charge of Atletico Madrid since 2011.

Since taking charge of the club in 2011, Diego Simeone has transformed Atletico Madrid's fortunes. They have regularly challenged the dominance of Real Madrid and Barcelona in Spain and also achieved success on the continental stage.

Under his charge, Atletico have won two La Liga titles (2014, 2021), two Europa League titles (2012, 2018), and reached two Champions League finals (2014, 2016).

In July 2021, Diego Simeone signed a three-year contract extension with Atletico, which tied him down to the capital club till 2024. With just one year left on his Atletico contract, there has been speculation about his future once again.

The Argentine, however, insisted that he is not thinking about his future just yet.

"There is no rush. At the last meal with Miguel [Angel Gil, Atletico Madrid CEO], the subject is always brought up and later, if he thinks it is good for the club, we will start talking. And if not, calm down, the season is long, enjoy it in the best way. I do not think in another thing," he said.