Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo has defended his club's transfer policy amid a summer window that has seen the 2014 La Liga winners sell four players and buy just one.
If Atletico's aim is to challenge Barcelona and Real Madrid and create a three-team title race again next season, the club's activity so far this summer suggests otherwise.
Toby Alderweireld was the latest Atletico player to leave the club, with the Belgium defender joining Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday on a permanent transfer.
While Alderweireld spent last season on loan at Southampton, he was an asset to the Spanish club.
Croatian forward Mario Mandzukic, who scored 20 goals in 43 games in the 2014-15 season -- his debut campaign with the Rojiblancos -- joined Italian champions Juventus last month on a €19 million transfer.
Earlier this month, Atletico's Brazilian centre-back Joao Miranda moved to Inter Milan for €15m. Atletico then lost another key player with Turkish midfielder Arda Turan switching to Barcelona for an initial fee of €34m.
Atletico began preseason training on Wednesday with Argentinian striker Luciano Vietto, who joined from Villarreal as the club's only reinforcement.
Despite losing more players than signings, Cerezo is standing by his transfer policy.
He told Marca: "We cannot dispute that very good and important players have left.
"Atletico is not a club that sells, we are a club that buys. But what happens is that players play where they want to play. And when a player wants to play in a given team, there are very little options to keep them. I would say none.
"There are teams that pay them a lot more and they leave."
There is, however, no cause for alarm, according to Cerezo.
"Since we last won the league, players have departed but those that have replaced them have done a good job," he said. "It's not an issue that worries me. Players of similar characteristics may arrive and they could even do a better job."
Porto have said that Colombian forward Jackson Martinez would join Atletico this month, but the Spanish club have not made his signing official.
"Things take time and each deal needs its time," Cerezo said. "It's something very common. A player has his demands, so do the clubs and things are not done in 24 hours."
Atletico, who have sent Argentinian defender Cristian Ansaldi to Zenit St Petersburg and Brazilian striker Leo Baptistao to Villarreal on loan deals, are looking to reinforce their attack.
Marca report that Atletico are closing in on the signing of Monaco forward Ferreira Carrasco after failing to lure Benfica's Nico Gaitan to the Vicente Calderon stadium.
Celta Vigo winger Nolito, Chelsea's Brazilian defender Filipe Luis and River Plate midfielder Matias Kranevitter are also reported targets of the Rojiblancos.
"We are going to have a good and competitive side," Cerezo insisted. "We will bring in very good and important players.
"Our coaches work throughout the year to reinforce the team for next season and we are working on this.
"We will try to have a good team that is competitive and that fights for everything Atletico has to fight for.
"We are close to making further signings but it takes time."