Simeone: I will not leave Atletico

Diego Simeone has committed his future to Atletico Madrid in the wake of more rumours about his departure from the Vicente Calderon.

Under the guidance of Simeone, Atletico have challenged the duopoly of Real Madrid and Barcelona in LaLiga, winning the title in 2013-14, as well as reaching two Champions League finals, where they lost each time to their arch-rivals from the Bernabeu.

Having secured top-three finishes in each of the past four seasons, Atletico are languishing in sixth this time around, already nine points off the pace of Zinedine Zidane’s table-toppers.

Simeone is contracted with Atletico until the end of next season, but he has been strongly linked with a return to former club Inter – rumours his son, Genoa striker Giovanni, has fuelled by saying his father could join him in Serie A.

Atletico CEO Miguel Angel Gil Marin said this week he was confident Simeone would honour his deal, and speaking after Friday’s friendly win over Al Ittihad in Saudi Arabia, the coach backed up that claim.

“I will not leave Atletico,” he was quoted as saying.

As well as Inter, Simeone has also been linked with the Arsenal job, as Arsene Wenger reportedly heads towards the end of his 20-year reign with the Gunners.