Atletico Madrid News
Barcelona keen to resolve Griezmann issue with Atletico Madrid before FIFA World Cup
There has been a lot of tension between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid of late due to the situation surrounding Antoine Griezmann.
The 31-year-old joined Atletico on loan from Barça last year. The agreement between the two clubs included a mandatory permanent purchase clause worth €40 million.
However, both teams see the conditions for the activation of that clause differently, leading to disagreements. Either way, Los Rojiblancos have no intentions of paying the entire amount but would be willing to make the Frenchman’s transfer permanent for a lower fee.
At one point, Barcelona were planning to take legal action against Atletico Madrid in order to get the full €40 million payment for Griezmann. But, they have since softened their stance and are hoping to resolve matters amicably with their La Liga rivals.
And, as reported by Mundo Deportivo, the Catalans are hoping to reach an agreement with Atletico Madrid over a transfer fee for Griezmann before the FIFA World Cup in Qatar kicks off in November this year.
Barça dread the prospect of having the Frenchman back at Spotify Camp Nou next year, given that his contract runs until 2024. Firstly, the 31-year-old does not fit into the plans of manager Xavi Hernandez, while his massive wages would be a burden that they cannot bear at this point.
Hence, they wish to strike an agreement with Atletico Madrid at the earliest possible. Initially, the plan was to finalise the purchase before the two teams met in La Liga in January.
However, the Blaugrana are now in a hurry to close the matter before the World Cup kicks off in November. So much so that, they are said to be willing to accept a fee half the amount of the €40 million initially agreed upon.
Atletico Madrid, for their part, are relaxed over the situation and are happy to let Barcelona do all the running. They know that the Catalans are aware of their position and the fact that they will not be able to offer more than €20 million for Griezmann.
What now remains to be seen is if an agreement is reached between the two clubs before the French forward flies off to Qatar for the World Cup.
There is no doubt that Atletico Madrid are bracing themselves for a busy summer ahead as they look to address the future of some of their star players. One of them is Saul Niguez, who has fallen out of favour under Diego Simeone and could leave the club.
A recent report from Mundo Deportivo has offered an update on the future of the Spaniard, suggesting that the player has once again become a market attraction.
The versatile star was on loan at Chelsea last season, but his spell at Stamford Bridge was far from ideal, as he featured in less than 500 minutes of league football. He returned to Atletico Madrid in the summer, and even though he wanted to leave the club, a move did not materialise.
Saul was even linked with a move away from Atleti in January. But Valencia, who were interested in him at the time, could not afford the deal, particularly because of the player’s salary and transfer fees.
The report from Mundo Deportivo states that Valencia have retained their interest in the player. But in addition to Los Che, Saul has been targeted by two other Spanish teams in the form of Rayo Vallecano and Sevilla.
Rayo have expressed the desire to sign Saul in the coming season. But they are likely to face economic difficulties in funding a move for the midfielder. The same can be said for Sevilla.
Saul’s current contract at Atletico Madrid expires in 2026, a deal that was agreed when the player was at his peak. But the long contract has now come back to haunt Atleti, as they desperately look to get rid of the Spanish international.
With his suitors likely to face financial trouble in weighing up a move, it will be interesting to see what the future holds for Saul in the coming summer.
Saul is not the only Atletico Madrid player facing an uncertain future, with Axel Witsel’s father also hinting at a possible exit recently.
