Atletico Madrid draws the American midfielder Johnny Cardoso

Atletico Madrid continues to stimulate his team for next season and signs the young American midfielder Johnny Cardoso of Real Betis.

The 23-year-old Cardoso arrived at a five-year contract, said Atletico on Wednesday.

Cardoso was born in the United States, but is of Brazilian descent and has an Italian passport, which means that he does not occupy a non-European lock in Diego Simeone’s team.

The midfielder played in Brazil until he moved to Betis in the 2023-24 season, where he became an important player for the Manuel Pellegrini team.

Cardoso made his senior debut for the United States in a match against Wales in 2020. He has 22 caps and won the Concacaf Nations League in 2023 and 2024.

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Cardoso had to withdraw from Mauricio Pochettino’s Concacaf Nations League Squad in March due to a muscle injury.

Atletico reached an agreement on Tuesday to sign the 24-year-old Argentina International Thiago Almada from the Brazilian club Botafogo.

It had previously stimulated his team to sign Midlex Baena from Villarreal and the 22-year-old Italian left back Matteo Ruggeri from Atalanta.

The Simeone team finished third in the Spanish competition last season, behind Real Madrid and champion Barcelona. It was eliminated in the group stage of the club World Cup.