French forward Antoine Griezmann is ending his disappointing stint with Barcelona and is set to return to Atletico Madrid, according to multiple reports. Griezmann will initially join Atletico on loan while the club has an option to make the move permanent at the end of the season.
Barcelona was keen to part ways with Griezmann, one of the club’s highest earners, as part of efforts to slash their huge wage bill. They initially approached Atletico with a swap proposal, wanting to get talented midfielder Joao Felix in return.
Atletico weren’t interested in parting with Felix but were prepared to take Griezmann off Barca’s hand. They ended up agreeing to pay $12 million for a season-long loan and $47 million if they decide to trigger their purchase option.
Barcelona reportedly already has a low-cost replacement for Griezmann lined up. They are expected to sign Sevilla’s Luuk de Jong on loan. Atletico, on the other hand, cleared their books by shipping midfielder Saul Niguez to Chelsea on loan with the option to buy type of deal.
Antoine Griezmann joined Barcelona in 2019 after the club paid his $140 million buyout clause. During his time at Camp Nou, Griezmann failed to justify his big transfer fee and struggled to make an impact. He only managed to score 35 goals in 102 appearances with the Catalan club and only has the Copa Del Rey trophy to show for.
Griezmann was previously considered one of the premier forwards in soccer during his first stint with Atletico Madrid. He scored 133 goals in his five seasons with the club while helping Atletico win three trophies, including UEFA Europa League in 2018.
