Barcelona keen to resolve Griezmann issue with Atletico Madrid before FIFA World Cup | OneFootball

Icon: Madrid Universal

Madrid Universal

·1 October 2022

Barcelona keen to resolve Griezmann issue with Atletico Madrid before FIFA World Cup

Article image: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.


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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.

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