Soccer

Manchester United tone down interest in Antoine Griezmann

The priority is now on signing an out-and-out striker due to long-term Ibrahimovic injury

Manchester United are now not expected to sign Antoine Griezmann from Atletico Madrid. Photo: Getty Images

Marcus Christenson
Sid Lowe
Thu Jun 1 2017 - 12:08

Manchester United have cooled their interest in Antoine Griezmann, with the Europa League winners prioritising a striker rather than a No10 this summer.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s long-term injury has led to a change in strategy for this summer’s transfer window, with the Frenchman no longer an option. That does not mean that United may not return and try to sign him in the future.

Atlético Madrid, meanwhile, have lost their appeal against a transfer ban that is preventing them from signing any new players until January 2018. The ban strengthens their need to keep hold of Griezmann but weakens their ability to do so. They will find it far harder now to persuade him to stay.

If a club pay his €100m (£87m) release clause, Atlético will not be able to do anything to prevent his departure. Griezmann has constantly delivered contradictory messages over the last six months but he has listened to offers from a handful of clubs.

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Griezmann, 26, has talked about his desire to win trophies, explicitly encouraging Atlético to make signings to strengthen the side if they are to have any chance of convincing him to stay. That is now impossible, this summer at least.

Any new contract that Atlético offer will address only part of his ambitions. Signings are more important and the package some clubs are able to offer cannot be matched by his current club.

At €100m, Griezmann would be expensive, the third most costly player in history, but he is affordable. Any club who wish to sign him know that if they pay the release clause, the deal can completed unilaterally.

Griezmann had hoped to avoid that eventuality, claiming that his future lay in the hands of Atlético’s president, Enrique Cerezo. Although it is complex, the clause offers a way of completing a transfer against Cerezo’s wishes, if Griezmann and United are prepared to push that through.

(Guardian service)

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