FC Barcelona are prepared to sacrifice Antoine Griezmann in order to sign Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix on deadline day.
A recent report from ESPN has offered an interesting update on FC Barcelona’s pursuit of a new attacker. They are apparently in talks with Atletico Madrid over a potential swap deal involving Antoine Griezmann and Joao Felix.
The Catalan giants had reportedly attempted to sign Felix on Monday, on a loan deal. But they were immediately rebuffed by Atletico, and in form of a second bid, the club has now offered a swap deal involving Griezmann. The player’s agent Jorge Mendes is already working on the deal and the move might not be completely “impossible”.
Barca’s desire to get their hands on Felix comes in the aftermath of the tragic departure of Lionel Messi. The Argentine put an end to his long association with the Blaugrana earlier this summer, joining Paris Saint-Germain for free. His exit has now created a massive void in the club’s creative unit, with Felix now being dubbed as a replacement.
Formerly of SL Benfica, the Portuguese international is regarded as one of the biggest talents in Europe. But his progress hasn’t gone smoothly at Atletico Madrid due to Diego Simeone’s tactical philosophy.
Barcelona are now prepared to offer him an opportunity to revive his career by joining them on deadline day. It appears both parties are confident that Felix’s technically oriented style of play is ideal for Barca’s brand of football.
At the same time, the Catalans are prepared to offload Griezmann, who has never really made his mark in Catalonia since joining them a few years ago. Although the Frenchman has offered a lot of work-rate in the final third, he is simply not the perfect fit alongside the likes of Ansu Fati, Memphis Depay and Sergio Aguero.
A return to Atletico Madrid, in that regard, could make a lot of sense for Griezmann, where he will have the opportunity to reunite with his former Barcelona teammate Luis Suarez. The strike partnership of the two players may help Simeone’s side retain the La Liga title next season.
Meanwhile, Felix is not the only player to be linked with a move to Catalonia on deadline day. It appears the club is also eyeing a late swoop for Dani Olmo, whose versatility and work ethic makes him an ideal fit alongside the likes of Pedri and Frenkie de Jong.
