Griezmann deemed for sale this summer by Laporta

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has made it clear that they are open to selling Antoine Griezmann this summer. The 30-year-old has been linked with moves away to Atletico Madrid and now, Juventus, but according to numerous sources, he is only willing to return to Atletico Madrid if he leaves Barcelona. 

‘Griezmann is a player that has a market, with clubs interested, and we are building the squad searching for a financial equilibrium,’ Laporta said, as cited by Mundo Deportivo. 

‘With Antoine, we don’t have any problem, we love him. But if the market moves, we are open to all offers because we are in a delicate moment where we have to balance financial fair play and because of that, we should speak with all the players so that it does not hurt them, or (if it does) for the least time possible.

‘We are making these balances and are open to all the options that the market can give us, but we don’t want to harm the team competitively.’

The France international currently earns £300,000 per week at Barcelona, and made a move from Atletico Madrid back in 2018 for over €100 million. He has struggled to replicate the form he showed under El Cholo, and will be welcomed back at the Wanda Metropolitano should he leave. 

Chelsea have also been linked with his services, since they are in the market for a striker. But the Blues are yet to make an official bid for him. There are no limitations to where the forward could move this summer, and a move to Atletico has not been ruled out by their president either.