Atletico Madrid CEO Says Antoine Griezmann Will Complete Barcelona Transfer
June 12, 2019
Atletico Madrid chief executive Gil Marin has said Antoine Griezmann will leave the club to sign for Barcelona this summer.
Griezmann recently confirmed the 2018-19 season was his last at Atletico, prompting speculation about where he would move. The Blaugrana have been consistently linked with a move for the player over the past few years.
According to Marin, the Catalan giants will sign the France international, and that's been known for many months:
Barcelona have always been considered Griezmann's most likely destination, as they made a move for the Atletico star last summer.
The player documented his decision-making process in a programme, La Decision, confirming he would stay at Atletico and sign a new contract despite the interest. However, a year on, it appears he is ready to embark on a new chapter in his career.
Griezmann was asked about his future after France's win over Andorra on Tuesday and called for patience. "I don't know if I'll remain in Spain," he said, per Sacha Pisani of Goal. "Maybe in two weeks we'll know something."
Bleacher Report's Dean Jones thinks a move to Barcelona will give Griezmann the chance to prove himself as one of the greats of his generation and commented on the big spending of the two biggest clubs in Spain this summer:
Griezmann has long been one of the most effective players in La Liga, having made huge strides in the five years he spent at Atletico Madrid.
The forward has typically played as a second striker under Diego Simeone, moving in from the wide berth he operated in at Real Sociedad. From the central area, he is able to create chances, dribble at defences and get into the box to score goals himself.
Should he make the switch to the Camp Nou it will be intriguing to see where Griezmann fits in. French football journalist Jeremy Smith thinks the 28-year-old would link well with Lionel Messi:
Another forward would certainly be a boost to Barcelona, especially one with the quality of the France star.
With Philippe Coutinho hopelessly out of form for much of last season and Ousmane Dembele again having a campaign blemished by injuries, the onus was placed on Messi and Luis Suarez. While they thrived in the main, given they are 31 and 32, respectively, both will need to be replaced in the coming years.
Griezmann's possible arrival will allow Barcelona to do exactly that. However, given his age, his La Liga experience and the likely massive fee paid to sign him, there would be considerable pressure on the forward to hit the ground running.