Manchester United’s pursuit of Atletico Madrid striker Antoine Griezmann looks to be edging closer as sources close to the Frenchman claim a deal is imminent.
Griezmann, 26, has been pursued by Europe’s elite clubs for the past few years and now Manchester United’s pursuit looks to have paid off as the striker looks to have decided his next destination, according to reports.
Manchester United will have to pay in the region of 75 – 100 Million euros for Griezmann, maybe even breaking their own transfer record fee from last summer when signing Paul Pogba from Juventus for 100 million euros.
Jose Mourinho has money to spend and with likely departures of Wayne Rooney and a few others, Manchester United will surely look to offer the Frenchman a huge deal in order to fend off interest from other clubs.
Spanish publication, AS, interviewed Diego Simeone and the Argentine was asked about whether Griezmann could leave.
“Yes, because there is a termination clause. There is no security. That’s what he told me [in the summer talks] – if you stay, I’ll stay and I said yes, why would I not stay? And they began to work with the representatives for everything that had to be signed. And he stayed”.
Simeone went on to say, “And from now on I do not know what can happen. He would never let me tell him to stay. I did not do it with [Diego] Costa or [Radamel] Falcao”.
United’s pursuit could be helped along as French midfielder, Paul Pogba, National team mate and friend of Griezmann, could help to persuade the striker to follow in his footsteps and move to the Theatre Of Dreams.
With so many strikers being linked to Manchester United, as reported by newsigning.co.uk this morning, Griezmann would be an ideal fit and perfect strike partner for Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
The summer could be an interesting time in the Premier League and at Old Trafford with Jose Mourinho looking to change the attack at Manchester United next season.
