Antoine Griezmann won’t be joining Manchester United this summer, that’s clear.
But United fans will be encouraged by the latest development in the transfer saga.
Griezmann was expected to be the subject of a bid from the Premier League side, and has been linked with a move to Old Trafford for months. However, Atletico Madrid’s transfer ban was upheld, meaning the club wouldn’t be able to sign a replacement this summer, and Griezmann pledged his future to Diego Simeone’s side.
United also reportedly called off their pursuit of Griezmann because they wanted to sign a central striker, rather than a number 10, this summer.
So, that appeared to be the end of the whole transfer saga. United are said to be pursuing Alvaro Morata instead, and Griezmann is set to sign a new contract, which will run until 2022 and raise his salary.
However, according to Spanish reporter Antonio Ruiz, the French forward’s buyout clause will remain at €100m (£88m).
Sigue el plan: Griezmann amplia 1 año más en @Atleti más sueldo, no sube la cláusula y el año que viene se facilita su salida. @tjcope …
— Antonio Ruiz (@RuizAntonito) June 12, 2017
When a La Liga player signs a new contract, their buyout clause, the price another club can bid to trigger their transfer, usually increases. The fact that Griezmann’s buyout clause remains at a price United could easily afford suggests a move for the player could be resurrected next summer.
According to Spanish football writer Pete Jensen, the 26-year-old will earn £235,000 a week at Atletico. This will reportedly make him La Liga’s fourth highest-paid player, behind Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Neymar.
However, unlike those players, Griezmann’s buyout clause remains relatively low. Lionel Messi’s buyout clause is €400m (£353m), Cristiano Ronaldo’s is reportedly one billion euros and Neymar’s is said to be €200m (£176m).
