Atletico Madrid’s 30-minute Griezmann policy is great news for Man Utd
Robin Bairner
- 18 Sept 2022 17:08 BST
- 3 min read
Atletico Madrid’s reluctance to field Antoine Griezmann for any more than 30 minutes per game will be music to the ears of Manchester United, if a report from England is accurate.
The Sunday Express suggests that Man Utd want to sign Griezmann should Atleti fail to take up the purchase option in the France international’s loan deal.
It is evident, at the moment, that the Wanda Metropolitano side have no intent on signing the World Cup winner on a permanent basis, apparently put off by the €40 million fee they will have to pay for a player they sold to Barca for €120m in 2019.
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Head coach Diego Simeone has said he is pleased with what Griezmann is contributing to the team, but the financial commitment involved in a deal is simply too much of a burden for his side to carry at present.
This is made plain by the fact that Atleti are fielded the player for only the final minutes of each game they play. Why are they doing this? Because the loan agreement with Barcelona stipulates that if Griezmann plays in 45 minutes of at least half of the club’s games over the course of two seasons, the purchase option becomes mandatory.
Man Utd ready to pounce on Griezmann
The fact that they are unwilling to do this is a positive sign for Manchester United.
Barcelona, too, will be heartened by the news. The Catalans have threatened legal action to Atletico Madrid over their use of Griezmann and are clearly eager for the player’s sizeable wage to be taken off their books.
If the Red Devils interest proves to be genuine, the Camp Nou side will likely soften their stance towards Atleti.
Griezmann’s estimated value has plummeted since he joined Barcelona, with FootballTransfers now valuing he player around the €35m mark, although his spate of substitute appearances have contributed to a recent drop.
