If Lionel Messi signs a new deal at Barcelona, Antoine Griezmann will be asked to leave, and the club’s pay will have to be cut. The six-time Ballon d’Or winner is likely to sign a new contract soon, but there is a snag: Barca has been advised that no new players may be registered unless they slash millions from their pay budget.
That’s where Messi’s future becomes crucial, given how much money they’d save if he didn’t play, and it’s especially crucial for Griezmann. If the club captain does not sign a new contract, the French forward will be given a key role in the team.
Griezmann has dropped down the pecking order following the free-agent additions of Memphis Depay from Lyon and Sergio Aguero from Manchester City this summer. When one takes in consideration the return of Ansu Fati from injury, the 2018 World Cup winner will be pressed for playing time.
Obviously, if Messi leaves, Griezmann will be allowed to play in the position he prefers for the Catalan giants, which is generally occupied by his captain. With football clubs all across Europe hindered by the previous year and a half, selling Griezmann won’t be as simple as the club asking him to find new admirers.
The club spent 120 million euros to Atletico Madrid for the 30-year-old just two years ago and would like to recoup as much of that money as possible. If he were to transfer to England, he would be paid £795,000 per week, a staggering sum that would shatter the Premier League’s wage record.
Although few clubs could afford him, there is still no assurance that he’d be a priority for any of the elite teams. Jadon Sancho has already joined Manchester United, while Harry Kane is a target for Manchester City, and Chelsea are also looking for a striker.
