Antoine Griezmann’s to Barcelona was a move that never paid off. One of the best players in the world at Atletico Madrid, Griezmann made the switch to Barcelona in 2019. Under Ernesto Valverde, he was a left winger, a position that never suited him. Griezmann never played at the striker position that he wished to. The 2020-21 season was his best in terms of goal-scoring for Barcelona. His Partnership with Messi really paid off in his last season at the club. But dawning the number 7 shirt never really proved to be fruitful for him.
Griezmann never felt at home in Barcelona. The striker made his way back to the beloved Capital city of Madrid on loan. Atletico also has a buy-out clause for him that is mandatory if he played a certain amount of games. At Atletico, Cholo Simeone knows how to use him at his best. He was a vital part of Simeone’s team which reached numerous finals in a short amount of time. Still, though, last season was his worst in terms of goal output. Simeone wants Griezmann to stay at the club and so does Atletico’s President.
Griezmann joined Atletico on a two-year temporary deal with an obligation to buy for €40 million in 2023. The contract said that the clause will be triggered if he plays 45 minutes or more in 50% of matches for Atletico. So far, Atletico have used him as less as they can, being unsure about the situation. Barcelona had a lot of offers on the table for the 31-year-old but it seems the final decision is made. His loan move will be made permanent but Atletico are not willing to pay a big price. That is why the two clubs have held talks about coming to a fee.
Griezmann agrees deal with Atletico
Atletico was never going to pay a hefty price for getting Griezmann’s services back. The Rojiblancos shifted to dirty tactics to get Barcelona to adjust. Griezmann played 80% of matches for them but he would be coming off the bench in most of them. It was around the 60th-minute mark that Cholo Simeone would substitute him.
But eventually, an agreement had to be signed between the 2 clubs. Talks over a month have now resulted in an agreement where Atletico will pay half of the agreed price. Barcelona will be disappointed to have not got the full amount. But it is a big relief that they have got Grizi out of their wage bill. Antoine Griezmann has now agreed on terms until 2026 with the Rojiblancos.
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