Antoine Griezmann is reportedly set to demand a £400,000-a-week pay package to snub Barcelona and join Manchester United in the summer.
According to a report by Daily Mail, Antoine Griezmann could be tempted to join Manchester United instead of Barcelona if they accept one demand. The Atletico Madrid attacker wants a staggering £400,000-a-week deal to make the switch to Old Trafford in the coming summer.
Griezmann has well and truly established himself as one of the best players in world football since joining Atletico Madrid from Real Sociedad in the summer of 2014. A fantastic record of 91 goals and 31 assists is testament to the same, with the player being the talisman for Los Rojiblancos.
And it’s no surprise that he has attracted interest from the biggest clubs in the world. Last summer, Manchester United were heavily linked with the Frenchman until the upholding of Atletico Madrid’s transfer ban saw Griezmann commit to the club and sign a new deal with them.
With Atletico Madrid’s transfer ban now over, Griezmann is presumably free to move, especially considering that the club has signed Diego Costa and Vitolo to bolster their attack. This time around though, Manchester United do not have a free run towards the 26-year-old, with Barcelona in pursuit of the player as well.
Antoine Griezmann wants £400,000 a week to sign for Manchester United and reject Barcelona. [Daily Mail] pic.twitter.com/uQAI2nWESK
— Man Utd Channel (@ManUtdChannel) January 9, 2018
With 2017 being a major lull for Luis Suarez, it is believed that Ernesto Valverde is eager to reinforce his attacking options by adding Griezmann, especially considering the fact that the likes of Aleix Vidal and Gerard Deulofeu have not managed to make much of an impression.
Having proven himself to be adept at playing centrally as well as out wide, the Frenchman could fill in in various roles and become an asset for the La Liga leaders. But, Barcelona face stiff competition from Manchester United once again, with the Premier League heavyweights ready to go all in for the player.
Griezmann could possibly be an option to play behind Romelu Lukaku in a free role while also being an option to line up as the focal point of the attack. And while Jesse Lingard has been a major success story for Manchester United in the aforementioned role, he could also slot in on the right wing, giving Jose Mourinho ample options to create a formidable attacking unit.
Both Manchester United and Barcelona are prepared to pay his £89 million release clause to secure the player’s services in the summer. But, the Red Devils could take a decisive lead in pursuit of Griezmann if they agree to his wage demands.
Griezmann wants a £400,000-a-week deal – a sea change in the £290,000-a-week contract that he had agreed last summer – to move to Old Trafford. The report though, suggests that Manchester United are hesitant, as of now, to pay the staggering wages to the player.
But, with the deal possibly hinging on those demands, they will have to shell out the big bucks or turn their attention elsewhere. It now remains to be seen how things develop in the coming months as Barcelona and Manchester United continue battling for Griezmann.
