1) Wasting A Limited Transfer Budget
Head coach Mikel Arteta has already stated that tough decisions will need to be made next summer if the club does not qualify for the Champions League. He is hinting that some key players may need to depart in order to finance a squad overhaul.
With a top-four finish unlikely, spending a large portion of a limited transfer budget on Thomas does not seem to be a wise move. He has performed very well for Atletico in midfield, but the priority for investment must be in signing defenders. RB Leipzig’s centre-back Dayot Upamecano also reportedly has a €50m release clause. Wouldn’t the money be better spent on him instead?