Atlético sign Coupet and Paulo Assunção

Club Atlético de Madrid have completed the double signing of France goalkeeper Grégory Coupet from Olympique Lyonnais and Brazilian defensive midfielder Paulo Assunção from FC Porto ahead of the club's UEFA Champions League third qualifying round tie next month as they attempt to return to the competition after 12 seasons away.

Top-class experience 
The 35-year-old Coupet has been brought in after Atlético reportedly matched Lyon's €1.5m evaluation and has subsequently put pen to paper on a two-year contract. He moves following 12 seasons at the Stade de Gerland where Coupet won seven consecutive Ligue 1 titles, helping the club to its first league and French Cup double last term. The former AS Saint-Etienne player kept goal in all three of France's UEFA EURO 2008™ games, taking his international appearance tally to 34, and has also made 59 starts in the UEFA Champions League.

Midfield solidity
Paulo Assunção, 28, joins Atlético after buying out the remainder of his contract with Porto, although details of his new deal with Los Colchoneros have not been released. The former SE Palmeiras, CD Nacional and AEK Athens FC player won three straight Portuguese Liga titles with Porto between 2005 and 2008, making 73 appearances. Coupet and Paulo Assunção join fellow new signings Florent Sinama Pongolle, John Heitinga and Tomáš Ujfaluši at the Vicente Calderón.