Barcelona Are To Finalize Issues With Atletico Madrid Over A Great Player
Barcelona Are To Finalize Issues With Atletico Madrid Over A Great Player.
Atletico Madrid and Barca may be approaching a final decision on their withheld transfer issues once and for all over the star Antonie Griezmann. After a long and unwanted waste of time, the shinanigan is about to be over.
However, Griezmann, 31, re-joined Atletico Madrid last year on a two-year loan from Barcelona. The deal was subject to a number of clauses, one of which would have seen Atletico have to pay Barcelona £35m should the Frenchman have played at least 45 minutes in 50 percent of the matches he was available for over the two-year period.
Having played over 45 minutes in over 80 percent of Diego Simeone’s side’s fixtures the last term, it had been assumed he would continue to remain a starter this year and Atletico Madrid would be forced to pay Barcelona the fee.
However, this season has seen Griezmann introduced from 60 minutes onwards a number of times. He has only started two games, one in the league against Real Madrid and against Club Brugge in the Champions League. Atletico Madrid lost both games. Some have suggested this has been a deliberate ploy to try and avoid having to pay the Catalan club the money.
Simeone, when asked in September about the alleged plot replied: ‘You’ve known me for 10 years as a coach. I’m a club man and I always will be.’
Now, according to ESPN, the fiasco appears to be coming to an end with the two clubs reportedly close to agreeing to a permanent deal for the player.
The report claims that after talks the two clubs have come to a consensus that will see Atletico pay Barcelona just over half of the original £35m fee.
Griezmann, who has seen his minutes significantly limited owing to the bizarre situation, had understandably wanted to see the matter resolved sooner rather than later with a World Cup fast approaching.
The resolution appears to suit all parties. Griezmann’s multi-million pound move to Catalonia was an unmitigated disaster essentially from the get-go, with the Frenchman rarely appearing comfortable and the fans somewhat resenting his presence in a difficult period for the club.
Barcelona risked the matter of Griezmann returning next summer at the conclusion of the two-year loan with not much of a market for a player believed to be on astronomical wages.
Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid retains a player who is firmly etched into the club’s fabric despite the animosity of his 2019 departure. Griezmann is the club’s fourth highest-ever goalscorer having initially joined in 2014 from Real Sociedad.
For the player, the resolution appearing to have been found prior to the World Cup affords him the opportunity to try and get up to speed before the tournament begins in Qatar on November 20.
France is bidding to retain its crown having claimed the Jules Rimet trophy for the second time in its history in 2018.
