Celta Vigo's Augusto Fernandez nears Atletico Madrid move

Midfielder Augusto Fernandez's move from Celta Vigo to Atletico Madrid is apparently all but completed, as the 29-year-old Argentine awaits the opening of the transfer window on Jan. 4 to enlist with Diego Simeone's lot.

Simeone admitted the imminence of the transfer during a presser ahead of Wednesday's La Liga tilt with Rayo Vallecano.

"I would prefer not to comment as nobody has told me anything about when he is coming," Simeone said when a reporter suggested Fernandez was about to arrive, according to ESPN FC.

Fernandez's move to the capital club has been on the cards for some time, with the Colchoneros desperate to fill the void vacated by Tiago's tibia break.

Fernandez has played under Simeone once before during a three-year spell with River Plate, winning the Argentine Clausura in 2008 before transferring to St. Etienne a year later.

The impending move for Fernandez should compliment Matias Kranevitter's arrival at the Vincente Calderon.

Kranevitter, 22, signed with Atletico in August for a rumoured fee of €8 million before being loaned back to parent club River Plate. The Argentine defensive midfielder will join the Madrid side during the window, to the delight of Simeone.

"Kranevitter will bring us a lot of hard work and recovery of the ball in the centre of the park," Simeone said. "He is a kid coming here very excited and will be in everything so that he can join up as quickly as possible with what the team needs."