Barcelona Seeking To Swap Antoine Griezmann For Four Manchester City Players
The Catalan giants Barcelona are seeking a swap deal for Antoine Griezmann to Manchester City in an outrageous deal, naming four players they’re interested in exchanging for Antoine Griezmann.
Barcelona urgently needs to reduce their wage bill and have accepted they’ll need to part ways with the French forward Antoine Griezmann to achieve that. Griezmann arrived from Atletico Madrid in a £100 million in 2019 and finding a buyer willing to carry the player’s huge wage bill is proving to be difficult.
It means Barcelona are exploring swap deals involving the France international, with Radio Catalunya claiming Manchester City has been contacted.
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Barcelona has named Riyad Mahrez, Raheem Sterling, Bernardo Silva, or Aymeric Laporte as four players they would be interested in swapping with Antoine Griezmann. Pep Guardiola doesn’t seem to be interested in the 30-year-old however and wants to keep his squad together.
Sterling and Mahrez regularly start on the wings and Aymeric Laporte is a key defender alongside Ruben Dias and John Stones. Bernardo Silva has been linked with a move away from Manchester City this summer but remains a popular player at the Etihad Stadium.
Manchester City won the Premier League and Carabao Cup last season but lost the Champions League final to Chelsea. They also parted company with club legend Sergio Aguero, who has ironically signed for Barcelona as a free agent.
It means Antoine Griezmann is unlikely to make a move to the Premier League. A return to Atletico Madrid has been mooted with Saul Niguez moving in the opposite direction.
Griezmann played under Diego Simeone at Atletico for five years and the Argentine coach still has a fondness for his former player. He told Marca: “I have a very good relationship, a very beautiful relationship beyond sport, my kids play with his kids.
“Above all, for what he gave Atletico, I want him to do well at Barcelona, he is an extraordinary player.
“I hope that he can consolidate the player he has been at the Euros, in the World Cup, in the five years with us. I don’t wish for anything else but him triumphing at Barcelona.
“We speak with the club, there are positions to improve in the team – we need a striker. Another will come if Griezmann does not. The club will decide what is economically best for the club.”
Barca are yet to register Sergio Aguero, Eric Garcia, and Memphis Depay due to financial issues. They have to balance their books before the new signings can be registered.
