Atletico Madrid president talks Antoine Griezmann signing
Antoine Griezmann was closely connected to his former club, Atletico Madrid, a few weeks ago, and the deal was almost completed. Barcelona was offering Griezmann on a swap deal with Saul Niguez and some extra money. However, the Madrid side were not willing to put any extra money on the table, and they preferred a simple swapping of players. Barca were not happy with this offer and thought that they were receiving the short end of the stick. Thus, the deal came to a premature end however, new reports suggest that another deal involving the French star and his former club could be on the horizon.
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The 30-year-old forward was picked up by Barcelona for a huge amount back in 2019 however, he failed to live up to his expectations. Last season he did end up as the second-highest scorer in the club however, his tally of goals was quite inconsistent, and he often experienced stints of underwhelming performances. His low periods and his inconsistency made him an unreliable player. With Memphis Depay and Sergio Aguero coming in for next season, his role at the club is no longer necessary, and getting him off the payroll would help the Catalans a lot.
Atletico Madrid chief wants Antoine Griezmann
Thus, Barcelona are actively trying to sell the 2018 World Cup winner in order to fund other transfers, as well as, lower down the entire wage structure of the club. The player wants to go back to his former club, and a deal with Atletico could still be open according to the Madrid side’s president. The Spanish champion’s president, Enrique Cerezo, said in an interview with Cadena COPE,
"“We don’t rule anything out but what we can say is that it’s not an easy signing to make,”“We’re waiting for news, not just on Griezmann but on other players, but I can tell you it’s a difficult operation.”Source Sport"
Although this is optimistic news, Barca need to explore their other options as well. They are actively trying to sell the player, and without his sale, they could be in more financial trouble next season. The club is still trying to bring in their four new signings, however, if they do not sell some of their top earners such as Griezmann and Philippe Coutinho, they will not be able to register their new players. At this point, we can only hope that things go well, and the club successfully sells the unwanted stars.
Should Barca sell Antoine Griezmann?