Madrid, Sep 3 (DPA) The long-suffering fans of Spanish giants Atletico Madrid are furious at the club's lack of summer signings.

This is the unavoidable conclusion to be drawn from an online poll taken by sports daily AS.

The poll shows that no less than 97 per cent of 'atleticos' believe that the team 'has not been properly strengthened' this summer.

Atletico's only summer signings have been goalkeeper Sergio Asenjo, defenders Juanito and Leandro Cabrera - plus midfielders Cleber Santana and Jose Manuel Jurado, both back from loan at Mallorca.

Indeed, Atletico - who have won nothing since 1996 - have taken more money in sales than they have spent in signings this summer, to the fury of the fans.

And this in a summer when neighbours Real have spent a record-breaking 256 million euros (364.28 million dollars) on new players.

Monday saw the final sad chapter in Atletico's summer transfer campaign. Defender John Heitinga decided, at the last minute, to leave for Everton. But by then the Spanish transfer window had already closed, meaning that it was too late for the club to buy a replacement.

The Atletico squad of 23 looks decidedly thin and mediocre. It includes nine players the club wanted to get rid of in summer but failed to offload.

The man in the eye of the red-and-white storm is Javier Garcia Pitarch, the club's technical secretary.