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Ansaldi joins Atletico on loan

Ansaldi joins Atletico on loan

Atletico Madrid have continued to bolster their squad by signing left-back Cristian Ansaldi on a season-long loan from Zenit St Petersburg. Los Colcheneros have had to cope with the departures of Thibaut Courtois (end of loan), Diego Costa and Felipe Luis (both sold to Chelsea). The La Liga champions have counteracted the loss of three key members of the squad with a series of nondescript signings in goalkeepers Miguel Angel Moya and Jan Oblak, striker Angel Correa and left-back Guilherme Siqueira, while adding quality in Mario Mandzukic and Antoine Griezmann. The full-back thus becomes the eighth new addition to the Atleti squad and the club's sporting director, Jose Luis Perez Caminero, believes Ansaldi adds much needed competition to the side. "Ansaldi is a player who will help us to increase the competitiveness of the group," Caminero told the club's official website. "This is a side that can act in both attack and defence and the transfer makes us even more versatile. We are very pleased with this agreement."