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Atlético Madrid and Barcelona ‘are ready to agree a permanent deal for Antoine Griezmann’ that will end the fiasco that saw the Frenchman start just ONE game and come off the bench after 60 minutes to avoid a £35m clause in his lease is triggered
- Antoine Griezmann had been the subject of a complicated deal between the clubs
- Original deal had minutes played clause that Griezmann probably seemed to miss
- According to reports, the two clubs have finally reached an agreement on the player
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Barcelona and Atletico Madrid look likely to end a months-long fiasco involving Antoine Griezmann, with reports suggesting the two clubs are close to an agreement for the French international.
Griezmann, 31, returned to Atlético Madrid last year on a two-year loan spell from Barcelona. The deal was subject to a number of clauses, one of which would have meant that Atlético would have to pay Barcelona £35 million if the Frenchman had played at least 45 minutes in 50 per cent of the matches he was available for over the two-year period.
After spending more than 45 minutes in more than 80 per cent of Diego Simeone’s games last season, it was believed he would remain a starting player this year and Atletico Madrid would be forced to pay Barcelona the fee.
Atletico Madrid and Barcelona are reportedly close to agreeing a permanent deal for Antoine Griezmann after weeks of fiasco involving his minutes.
This season, however, Griezmann has been introduced a number of times from 60 minutes. He has only started two games, one in the league against Real Madrid and against Club Brugge in the Champions League. Atlético Madrid lost both matches. Some have suggested that this was a deliberate ploy to try not to pay the Catalan club the money.
Simeone, when asked about the alleged plot in September, replied, “You’ve known me as a coach for 10 years. I’m a club man and I always will be.’
Now, according to ESPNThe fiasco looks set to end with the two clubs reportedly coming close to a permanent deal for the player.
The player will soon be able to play as many minutes as Diego Simeone wishes for the club
The report claims the two clubs have reached a consensus after talks that Atletico will pay Barcelona just over half of the original £35million.
Griezmann, who saw his minutes severely limited by the bizarre situation, had understandably wanted the matter resolved sooner rather than later with a World Cup rapidly approaching.
The resolution seems suitable for all parties. Griezmann’s multimillion-pound move to Catalonia was essentially an unmitigated disaster from the start, with the Frenchman rarely looking comfortable and somewhat resenting fans for his presence at a difficult time for the club.
Barcelona risked the issue of Griezmann returning next summer in closing the two-year loan, with not much of a market for a player believed to have an astronomical wage.
Diego Simeone told the press in September that he was a “club man” when asked why he kept introducing Griezmann after 60 minutes.
Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid retain a player who is firmly etched into the club’s fabric, despite the animosity of his departure in 2019. Griezmann is the club’s fourth highest goalscorer ever, initially coming over from Real Sociedad in 2014.
For the player, the solution that seems to have been found ahead of the World Cup gives him the opportunity to try and get up to speed before the tournament kicks off in Qatar on November 20.
France are offering to keep their crown after winning the Jules Rimet trophy for the second time in their history in 2018.