Atletico Madrid veteran defender hints at 2025 exit

Atletico Madrid star Axel Witsel has hinted at his planned intention to move on from the club at the end of the 2024/25 season. The Belgian international opted to sign a one-year contract extension last summer in a mirror of his previous short term deals in Madrid. Witsel played a key role in Diego Simeone’s plans in both 2022/23 and 2023/24 with 68 La Liga appearances from 78 games. However, his impact has been significantly reduced in recent months with Jose Maria Gimenez, Clement Lenglet and Robin Le Normand sharing the two centre back spots. Witsel was repurposed into defence by Simeone, after playing the majority of his career in midfield, and the former Borussia Dortmund star excelled alongside Gimenez previously. With changes expected at the Estadio Metropolitano ahead of the 2025/26 – including a possible exit for Antoine Griezmann – Witsel has hinted at his likely departure for a final career challenge. “Maybe an exotic destination like a Gulf country? Frankly, I have no idea what I will decide,” he