Barcelona are wary of repeating their catastrophic Luis Suarez misjudgement by returning Antoine Griezmann to La Liga rivals Atletico Madrid, according to reports.
Griezmann, 30, has seemingly been made available for transfer by the cash-strapped Catalans as they seek to raise funds. SPORT has declared the reigning champions – for whom the France forward scored 133 goals in 257 games before July 2019’s €120 million switch – have made contact about a potential part-exchange deal, because they cannot afford both a substantial transfer fee and approximate annual wages of €25m.
Their overtures, however, have been negatively received by Barca as they have no active interest in their players. Plus, there is the residual memory of the previous regime – led by Josep Maria Bartomeu – allowing Suarez to depart last summer, only to play a pivotal role in Atleti’s top-flight success.
Griezmann has netted 35 times in 99 matches for his current employers.
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