'Griezmann can't leave' - Atletico deal blow to Barcelona
Karan Tejwani
- 26 Aug 2022 11:40 BST
- 3 min read
Barcelona are hinging on Atletico Madrid to let Antoine Griezmann play a certain number of games in order to get a fee for the player they loaned.
On the final day of the summer transfer window in 2021, Barcelona loaned the Frenchman out to Atletico Madrid, with a view to a permanent transfer at the end of the two-year spell.
There’s a clause in the loan deal that will activate Atleti’s purchase option: the obligation to buy only comes into effect if the 31-year-old plays 50 percent of the games he's available for during his time on loan, with the forward having to play 45 minutes or more for it to count as a game played.
Last season, Griezmann played at least 45 minutes in 81% of the games he was available for, meeting that ruling, but it’s looking quite risky this season.
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He hasn’t been a fixture in the first-team, and hasn’t played as much as Barcelona would’ve hoped, causing the Blaugrana a few worries as they may have to take their player back next season.
There was hope that Atletico Madrid would be open to getting rid of the player and being open to a sale, but that has now been denied.
Club president Enrique Cerezo spoke about the Frenchman: "Griezmann is a player in the squad, important, and I think that being a player in the squad, he's in the squad. He can't leave.”
CEO of Atletico Madrid Enrique Cerezo has told the press that Antoine Griezmann will not leave. Or more precisely, he cannot leave.
Whether they decide to use him frequently will determine if they must pay Barcelona €40m at the end of the season. pic.twitter.com/9WPXgMprew— Football España (@footballespana_) August 25, 2022
Barcelona would earn €40 million from a potential sale of Griezmann at the end of the season, which is why they’ll be hoping he plays more over the course of the season.
That money could be quite valuable next summer as they continue their ambitious plans under President Joan Laporta and manager Xavi.
Griezmann signed for Barcelona in 2019 but hasn’t been able to hit the heights many expected, as he often struggled for form and was finally let go in 2021 on a loan spell back to his former club.
