Experienced Gámez joins Atlético overhaul
Friday, August 8, 2014
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Full-back Jesús Gámez brings "quality and experience" to Club Atlético de Madrid after leaving Málaga CF to become the Spanish champions' eighth summer recruit.
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Club Atlético de Madrid have stocked up on invaluable Liga and UEFA Champions League know-how after making the experienced Jesús Gámez their eighth summer signing.
The 29-year-old right-back has joined the Spanish champions on a three-year deal from Málaga CF, where he held the record for most appearances with 291 games played for his local team over the past nine seasons. Significantly Gámez also featured ten times in the Andalusian side's run to the 2012/13 UEFA Champions League quarter-finals.
"A full-back with quality and lots of experience – he makes our defence stronger and brings more competition for places," is Atlético sporting director José Luis Caminero's assessment of the defender
He increases Atlético's summer transfer haul to eight players after the recruitment of Cristian Ansaldi (FC Zenit), Antoine Griezmann (Real Sociedad de Fútbol), Jan Oblak (SL Benfica), Mario Mandžukić (FC Bayern München), Ángel Correa (CA San Lorenzo de Almagro), Miguel Ángel Moyà (Getafe CF) and Guilherme Siqueira (Granada CF).
The move – the financial details of which are undisclosed – follows Javier Manquillo's loan to Liverpool FC, which left UEFA Champions League runners-up Atlético with a position to fill in coach Diego Simeone's squad.
The Fuengirola-born Gámez made his Málaga debut aged 20 in November 2005 and, despite the team's relegation that season, remained to cement his place and help his side return to the top flight in 2008. The Boquerones were subsequently a minute away from reaching the last four of Europe's elite club competition in 2013 before being knocked out by Borussia Dortmund.
Atlético, denied at the death in even more heart-breaking fashion by Real Madrid CF in the Lisbon final three months ago, await the outcome of the UEFA Champions League group stage draw on 28 August.