Who is Reinildo Mandava? The Atletico Madrid veteran liked by Man Utd and Aston Villa

Jacque Talbot

Updated: 9 Oct 2024 08:55 CDT
6 min read

Reinildo Mandava might be in his twilight years, but he still boasts some impressive numbers.

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The wing-back was looked at by several elite Premier League clubs over the summer, but no move came to fruition. But movement could come to pass next year, with his deal up at the Metropolitano Stadium in less than a year.

It would be short-sighted for Atletico Madrid to let him go, however. He's a rock - an ever-reliable player with bags of experience and personality. But what else is there to know? Here FootballTransfers takes a deep dive into the defender and what he's all about.

What position does Reinildo Mandava play?

Reinildo is as versatile as they come. He plays predominantly at left-back but he can also play left-wing and, when called upon, at centre-back.

How good is Reinildo Mandava?

Reinildo is one of the best-ever Mozambican players. He began his professional career with Ferroviario da Beira in his home nation and has gone from strength to strength since.

He said of the early start of his career: “When I was eight or nine years old, I used to play in the street in my neighborhood with my friends. One day I told my father [who worked as a coach] that he should come and see me play. That same day when I went to play, he came over to see me secretly.

"When I got back home, he called me just before dinner and told me that if I continued like that, I would become a great player. He told me that I had to focus on achieving that goal, to dedicate myself one hundred percent.”

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Soon his talent was picked up by scouts and he joined Lille. In his first years, he secured a spot as their secondary left-back following the exits of Fode Ballo-Toure and Youssouf Kone, before becoming their go-to for that position in their title-winning season in 2020–21.

He joined Atletico in January 2022, and he has been a stalwart. In particular this season, he has among the most minutes at Atletico and featured in all games available, a reflection of how much trust Diego Simeone has placed in the 30-year-old.

What clubs are interested in Reinildo Mandava?

Manchester United and Aston Villa were keen on Reinildo during the summer when they were looking at left-back options. Turkish teams and clubs in the Saudi Pro League had registered an interest, too.