Barcelona are reportedly planning to enter a swap operation with Manchester United that would see Antoine Griezmann and Victor Lindelof trade clubs this summer.
According to a report from Spanish publication El Gol Digital, Barcelona’s bid to offload Antoine Griezmann has seen them propose a shock swap deal with Manchester United involving Swedish centre-half Victor Lindelof.
Barcelona are in dire straits with regard to their finances and are desperately looking to offload some of their highest earners within the squad, with Griezmann being one of them. The 30-year-old Frenchman has been offered to multiple Premier League clubs so far this summer as the Catalans look to free up room on their wage bill to re-sign Lionel Messi on a new contract.
However, there have not been a whole lot of suitors for the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner as of yet. There has been some degree of interest from Premier League champions Manchester City, and their local rivals Manchester United are also said to have been keeping a close watch on the situation.
And, it seems like Barcelona are planning to make the most of the interest that the Red Devils have in the 30-year-old, by proposing a swap arrangement that would see Griezmann move to Old Trafford, while Victor Lindelof switches to Camp Nou, with Manchester United having to pay a little extra cash as well.
Victor Lindelof has had a hit-and-miss career so far at Manchester United since joining in the summer of 2017. While he has been a regular fixture in the side, the Swede hasn’t always convinced onlookers of his abilities. And, with Manchester United now set to sign Raphael Varane from Real Madrid, the 27-year-old could fall a step down the pecking order of things and Barcelona are looking to capitalise on the situation.
The Catalans are on the lookout for defensive reinforcements despite having signed Eric Garcia from Manchester City, as question marks loom large over the futures of both Samuel Umtiti and Clement Lenglet, who find themselves in a similar situation as compatriot Griezmann. And with Gerard Pique in the twilight of his career, another experienced defender would be a welcome addition, making Lindelof a viable target.
As for Manchester United, they could use a player who can play through the middle in the final third considering Anthony Martial has failed to live up to the expectations time and again and may have run out of chances. And, with Edinson Cavani well into his thirties, and Mason Greenwood still learning the ropes, someone like Griezmann could help Ole Gunnar Solskjaer & co. add more quality to their attack.
As per the report, there is a €30 million difference in the valuations of Griezmann and Lindelof, which Manchester United will have to stump up in order for the deal to go through. It is further claimed that it could be a major roadblock, considering that Lindelof is also attracting interest from AS Roma.
It is extremely unlikely that such a deal would see the light of the day, especially with Manchester United also looking to loan Axel Tuanzebe out while Eric Bailly is also considering his future at the club. Barcelona will have to find some other means to offload Griezmann.