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Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo has admitted he would love to have Barcelona forward Antoine Griezmann back at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium.
The Frenchman left Atletico for Barcelona in 2019 but has struggled to really make a mark at the Camp Nou, leading to speculation he could be sold if an acceptable offer arrives.
Cerezo has told Cadena SER that he would be happy to try and sign Griezmann but doubts the Catalan giants want to let the World Cup winner leave.
“Could he go back to Atlético? He is a magnificent player, hopefully, but I don’t think Barça wants to sell Griezmann,” he said. “I think any team would be crazy to have Griezmann. He had magnificent seasons with us and I think he became a football player at Atlético de Madrid.”
Griezmann won his first trophy with Barcelona this season, lifting the Copa del Rey in April after a 4-0 win over Athletic. However, his former team is in pole position to be crowned La Liga champions on Saturday. The Rojiblancos head into the final game with a two-point lead over Real Madrid.
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Cerezo Talks Griezmann Swap Rumors
Cerezo also discussed the future of Atletico forward Joao Felix. The 21-year-old is another player struggling to live up to his price tag. Felix moved to Atletico for a club-record fee of €126 million ($142 million) in 2019.
According to Catalunya Radio, Barcelona is interested in a swap deal involving Griezmann and Felix, but Cerezo insists the talented youngster is going nowhere.
“I think there no options for him to leave, none. The player has to adapt, possibly the day he takes off he will be one of the most important players on the planet,” he said. “Players are not machines, they have their good days and their bad days.”
Felix has scored seven La Liga goals for Atletico in 2020-21 and has only started 14 league games for the Rojiblancos. His other 16 appearances in La Liga have all come as a substitute.
Griezmann Heading Out of Barcelona?
It’s not clear what will happen with Griezmann over the summer. According to Mundo Deportivo, the Frenchman could depart at the end of the season and has been deemed “neither untouchable nor essential.”
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has reported Barca will sell if an “important offer” arrives but that Paris Saint-Germain is “not” one of Griezmann’s “favored options.”
Atletico has made an approach for Griezmann, according to Diario Sport. However, the Rojiblancos can’t afford a transfer fee and would rather a swap deal, something that has not tempted Barca as yet.
It seems that speculation over Griezmann’s future will continue over the summer, and Barca’s difficult financial situations means bids may even be welcomed.
Meanwhile, the striker will spend some of the summer in France for the 2020 European Championship. Griezmann was one of three Barcelona players named in Didier Deschamps’s squad on Tuesday. Ousmane Dembele and Clement Lenglet have also made the list for the tournament.
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