Atletico Madrid CEO insists club’s primary playmaker Antoine Griezmann will join Barcelona
Atletico Madrid CEO Gil Marin has confirmed Antoine Griezmann will join Barcelona this summer.
Griezmann announced he will leave Atletico back in May but Marin has suggested a deal with Barcelona was already agreed in March.
How close is Griezmann to joining Barcelona? Five things to know…
- In May, Griezmann announced he will leave Atletico in the summer transfer window and Barcelona were immediately linked.
- The Frenchman’s release clause reportedly doesn’t drop to €120m until July 1st, which could be holding up a deal.
- After playing for France this week, Griezmann revealed he doesn’t know if he will stay in Spain but his future will be resolved in two weeks, around July 1st.
- Marin claims Griezmann has already decided on a move to Barcelona.
- Lionel Messi (92) was the only ‘forward’, as defined by Opta, to create more chances than Griezmann (74) last season.
Manchester United have also been linked with a move for Griezmann, who has made 257 appearances for Atletico across five seasons in the Spanish capital.
But it seems Barcelona will be Griezmann’s next destination if Marin’s comments to Radio Estadio are anything to go by.
“I know exactly where he’s going to play. I’ve known since March. In Barcelona,” Marin said.
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“There are players who feel they are greater than the squad. We have to form a group of men.”
Griezmann’s 15 La Liga goals in 2018/19 is his lowest tally since scoring 10 for Real Sociedad in the 2012/13 season.
The 70-time France international provided two assists for his country during Tuesday’s 4-0 victory over Andorra in the Euro 2020 qualifying campaign.
