The countdown to Antoine Griezmann's Barça transfer begins
The club hopes to secure an agreement with the player and Atletico Madrid within the next couple of weeks
The countdown to Antoine Griezmann joining FC Barcelona began on the 1st July. The transfer won't advance until next week, for various reasons, but the deal is almost complete now that the player's buyout clause has dropped from €200m to €120m.
Griezmann's side believes the speculation surrounding his future could aid them in negotiations. As for Barça, they have spoken at length about the effort Griezmann will need to make in order to win over certain members of the first team and fans.
Even a year on, the wounds from the 'La Decision' documentary are still visible.
EVERYONE KNOWS WHERE THEY STAND
The transfer market is like a game of poker with no one wanting to show their hand until the last minute. Atletico tried to put pressure on Barça to announce something when Miguel Angel Gil Marin revealed Griezmann was heading to the Camp Nou.
Griezmann knows what he has to do in order to make this transfer a reality. He'll need to accept the same terms offered a year ago. Barça have kept quiet during this period as to not appear to be negotiating with a player under contract with another team.
TIME TO NEGOTIATE
Since the 30th June, Barça and Atletico have tried to reach an agreement. The Catalan giants hope a deal, based on instalments, can be struck which will help Atletico fund their own €120m deal for Joao Felix.
Another option is to sell Nelson Semedo to Atletico this summer.
A deal for Griezmann might be struck within the next few days but nothing will be announced or confirmed until after Frenkie de Jong's presentation.
DE JONG week
Barça want the spotlight to be firmly on Frenkie de Jong this week. The young Dutch midfielder wasn't only the first signing of the 2019/20 season but is also a player which excites supporters. For that reason, Barça want these days to be all about de Jong.
That doesn't mean a move for Griezmann will slow down either. The forward is on his way back from a summer break in Miami.
Griezmann will spend a couple of days at home knowing that Barça want to complete his transfer soon. The current plan is for him to join up with Ernesto Valverde on the 14th July.
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