Atletico Madrid sign Seattle Sounders, Mexico star Obed Vargas

Tom Weber

Updated: 2 Feb 2026 13:31 CST
3 min read

Seattle Sounders midfielder Obed Vargas has joined Atletico Madrid on a permanent deal.

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The Mexico international has completed a surprising, last-minute move. While it has come as no surprise to see Vargas head to Europe, few could have anticipated that he would be joining one of the biggest clubs on the continent.

Vargas has long been linked with various mid-tier clubs across the pond, chiefly Dutch champions-elect PSV and Belgian giants Club Brugge, while there have also been persistent links with Mexican sides like Tigres.

Unexpectedly, Vargas has now linked up with Spanish heavyweights Atletico Madrid on Deadline Day, according to Fabrizio Romano. He is joined by fellow new recruit Ademola Lookman, who has moved for a whopping €40 million from Atalanta.

It is not known how much Atleti paid to sign the 20-year-old, but the Sounders have managed to retain a significant sell-on percentage. It is also not clear if Vargas will stay with Atleti or be loaned out - potentially back to the MLS franchise - until the summer.

Vargas completes dream Atleti move

The transfer is a special one for Vargas, and not just because of the calibre of team he is joining. The Anchorage-born midfielder is a boyhood fan of the Rojiblancos.

In the summer, Vargas had the chance to play against Atleti at the Club World Cup, and he managed to swap shirts with his idol, Antoine Griezmann, a player long linked with a move to MLS.

Vargas revealed that Atleti's "underdog" status appealed to him. Spanish football is, of course, mostly dominated by Real Madrid and Barcelona, although the Colchoneros have won two LaLiga titles under Diego Simeone, who may depart the club this summer.

The 20-year-old sees parallels between Atleti breaking the Barca-Real Madrid duopoly and his own rise to prominence because it is rare for a kid from Alaska to make it big in MLS, let alone in European football.

Vargas joins Atleti after a very successful time with the Sounders, having broken into the first team aged just 15. The youngster has 130 senior games under his belt, and he made headlines last year for dominating Inter Miami and Lionel Messi in the Leagues Cup final.

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