Although he may have only just returned from injury, having been sidelined after missing five games thanks to a problem with his median adductor in his right thigh, Jose Gimenez is still no closer to making a return to the pitch forAtletico Madrid. Sadly, it is an all too familiar story for the talented central defender who is currently fourth in the pecking order with compatriot Diego Godin, Stefan Savic and Lucas Hernandez all favoured ahead of the starlet. It all began when the 21-year-old arrived at the Estadio Vicente Calderon from Danubio as an 18-year-old without any experience in European football. With Miranda, Godin and Toby Alderweireld above him, the Uruguayan managed to make just two appearances throughout the season.
But, with the Belgian gone and the Brazilian defender injured in the following season, "Josema' as he's affectionately known, made 28 appearances in total, cementing himself as an up-and-comer. The subsequent departure of Miranda only served to pave the way for more success however, despite playing in 38 matches last season and earning the trust of Diego Simeone, the campaign would end with Savic usurping the Uruguayan - the coach most notably opting for the Montenegrin in the Champions League final. Things aren't much different this season. Gimenez has only featured in two matches; being named in the starting XI during their 1-0 win over PSV Eindhoven and coming off of the bench against Deportivo La Coruna late in September.
More worrying is the fact that Simeone has Lucas Hernandez above him in the pecking order. By all accounts, he would have been picked ahead of Gimenez had Savic's suspension for their match against Athletic Bilbao not been overturned. Despite this, Gimenez is optimistic that he can return to his best. "With work and a lot of effort there are no limits," he wrote. Although he has a contract with the club until 2020 with a release clause of 65 million euros, recent reports suggest that his future may lie elsewhere. Arsenal are reportedly interested in the defender and at 21 years of age, the future still remains bright.
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