Football
Sam Marsden, Barcelona correspondent 6y

Barcelona director admits contact with Atleti's Antoine Griezmann 'possible'

Barcelona's director of institutional relations, Guillermo Amor, says it's possible the club have been in contact with Antoine Griezmann.

Catalan newspaper Mundo Deportivo reported on Sunday that Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu has met with the Atletico Madrid forward's family to sound out a €100 million move next summer.

Griezmann was set to leave Atletico earlier this year, with a move to Manchester United in place, but performed a U-turn at the last minute when the Rojiblancos' transfer ban was left in place.

However, the French international is expected to be on the move at the end of the season and Diego Simeone said recently that he would not stand in his way.

"If that's what [Mundo Deportivo] said, it's possible..." Amor told Movistar after Barca's 4-0 win against Deportivo La Coruna on Sunday.

"Maybe there's been a meeting and things have advanced, although I don't know. There's a good understanding, maybe there have been talks.

"Rumours are inevitable in football. In the case of Griezmann, there are a lot of players we could be talking with, initiating some kind of relationship with if there's an opportunity.

"We're obliged to have contact with players. It's something which is done."

Asked on Movistar Plus about Griezmann potential arrival at the Camp Nou after Barca's 4-0 La Liga win over Deportivo La Coruna on Sunday evening, Blaugrana left-back Jordi Alba appeared to not rule out the possibility that the France international could be a teammate as soon as January.

"We are talking about a top player who is doing very well at Atletico in recent years," Alba said. "Any reinforcement is welcome. But I've already said this squad is very good, we are doing very well, and we will see what happens in the January window."

The latest comments on Griezmann come just days after Simeone said he would allow the forward to leave Atletico if a "unique opportunity" came along.

"Of course he can leave at some point, like Diego Costa and Arda Turan did in their day," Simeone told L'Equipe.

"I love watching my players grow, and if one of them tells me that they have the unique opportunity of playing for a certain team, after they did everything they could for me, like Griezmann has done, I'll say it's not a problem."

Barca are expected to go into the transfer market in January, with CEO Oscar Grau saying earlier this year that the club are prepared to return for Liverpool playmaker Philippe Coutinho.

However, the club may also have to look for a new centre-back, with Javier Mascherano expected to leave the club for China.

^ Back to Top ^