The task of succeeding Diego Simeone at Atletico Madrid will be an enormous one, whomever it falls to. The board at the Metropolitano will have to find not only a manager capable of handling the job on paper, but also someone accepted by the fans after replacing a living legend.
There is of course little talk of Simeone leaving since their 5-2 thrashing of Real Madrid at the end of September, but eventually the club will have to have the discussion. El Cholo has a contract until 2027, but has maintained that he is content at the club for the time being.
Agent has Diego Simeone replacement in mind
According to ESPN Brasil, via Diario AS, agent Jorge Mendes already has a replacement in mind though. His plan is to have former Atletico left-back Filipe Luis on the bench at the Metropolitano to replace his former manager. The ex-Chelsea and Deportivo La Coruna defender has been praised for his work at Brazilian giants Flamengo, and would prioritise a return to Atletico over other potential options. He may be one of the few options that would be accepted by the fanbase, given how beloved he was as a player.
Other alternatives who have been suggested as Simeone replacements
Filipe is of course not the first name that has been suggested as a potential replacement for Simeone. Before his latest contract renewal, a number of names did emerge as potential successors. Along a similar line of thinking to Filipe were ex-captains Gabi and B-team manager Fernando Torres, although the former has faded from the thoughts of many, following his unsuccessful spell at Real Zaragoza.
Giuliano Simeone… 🤯💪 pic.twitter.com/J7UAobbNsK
— Atletico Universe (@atletiuniverse) October 16, 2025
‘External’ choices included Villarreal manager Marcelino Garcia Toral, who has as strong a record as anyone in La Liga over the last two decades, and Paris Saint-Germain’s Luis Enrique, who at the time it was said had a number of fans within the club. Since of course, some of the leadership at the club has changed, with Carlos Bucero taking over as Director of Football, and Mateu Alemany coming in as Sporting Director, replacing Andrea Berta.
