Atletico Madrid News
Atletico Madrid set to face lawsuit from Barcelona over €40 million Griezmann payment
The saga of Antoine Greizmann’s future is beginning to get more serious as Barcelona and Atletico Madrid begin to look for legal weapons.
The Blaugrana are unhappy with Los Rojiblancos’ tactics to avoid paying the €40 million permanent transfer fee while Atletico are clear about not wanting to pay the obligatory clause.
According to reports from RAC1 Barcelona are preparing a lawsuit against Diego Simeone’s side regarding Griezmann. They believe that the forward already played the required minutes in his first season on loan and demand immediate payment of €40 million as a transfer fee.
However, the offices at Wanda Metropolitano are convinced otherwise. They believe that the player must play 50% of the minutes across both seasons for the clause to get triggered, implying that they don’t have to pay the fee yet.
While the two clubs tussle, the World Cup winner is the actual loser. Griezmann is stuck in a situation where even his consistent performances are not winning him a starting place in the team. This is a big blow, especially given that the World Cup is just around the corner.
Earlier this week, it was Griezmann who struck in the 101st minute to give Los Rojiblancos a sensational win over Porto in the UEFA Champions League. He already has three goals for the side this season in just over 100 minutes.
It remains to be seen how the story of his purchase clause ends. If Atletico Madrid come out on top, it would either mean Griezmann would have to return to Barcelona next summer or they will try to negotiate a lower fee to sign him up permanently.
Atletico Madrid News
Atletico Madrid, Chelsea contact PSG midfielder’s agent with player set to leave
Atletico Madrid and Chelsea are among the clubs that have made contact with the agent of PSG midfielder Leandro Paredes, who is set to leave this summer.
This claim comes from journalist Martin Arevalo on ESPN, who states that apart from Atletico and Chelsea, an unnamed third club have also established contact with the Argentine international’s representative.
Paredes has been on PSG’s books since January 2019, when he arrived from Zenit St. Petersburg. For a large part of his time at the French capital outfit, the midfielder had been a regular starter in the side.
However, last summer saw Paredes get shipped out on loan to Juventus. He has played 33 times for the Bianconeri this season with a return of one goal and assist apiece.
The Serie A heavyweights, who were recently hit with a 10-point deduction, have the option to purchase him permanently. But, as per the report, his relationship with manager Massimiliano Allegri is not good and a return to PSG is on the cards.
And considering that he is not in the plans back at Parc des Princes either, a permanent departure away seems set in stone for Paredes.
As such, Atletico Madrid, Chelsea, and an unnamed club have shown interest in acquiring his services by making contact with the 28-year-old World Cup winner’s agent.
With Koke entering the final phase of his career and Geoffrey Kondogbia expected to leave at the end of the season, the Rojiblancos could do with reinforcements in the centre of the park.
Paredes, who has plenty of experience at the highest level and is known for his aggressive mentality, can be a good fit into Diego Simeone’s setup at the Civitas Metropolitano.
But, with Chelsea also in the picture, things could get tricky for the Colchoneros. After all, Atleti are operating on tight finances and are looking for bargain and free transfer signings in the market with the likes of Marcus Thuram, Jordi Alba, and Raphael Guerreiro emerging as targets.
