FC Barcelona offer Antoine Griezmann to Chelsea as they look to clear up their Wage Bills
Barcelona will soon offer Antoine Griezmann to Chelsea as the Catalans are attempting to reduce their wage bill. The Blaugrana are desperate to hand their captain Lionel Messi a new contract but the situation is in a huge mess.
As per the Daily Star, Barcelona will offer Antoine Griezmann to Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea in order to fund Messi’s contract. According to reports in Spain, the player’s representatives [Griezmann] are expected in London in the next few days to test the resolve of Premier League clubs, including Chelsea, as they look to find a new club for the striker.
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The Catalans are debt-ridden at the moment and are struggling to tie terms with club captain Lionel Messi. The 34-year-old’s contract expired on June 30 and is technically a free agent now. This interests Paris Saint German & Manchester city who are keen to bring in the Argentine in their squad. Messi is legally open to start talks with other clubs in Europe.
The Blaugrana are forced to cut costs this summer else they might be barred from registering new signings which includes the likes of Sergio Aguero, Eric Garcia & Memphis Depay. Barca are expecting to cut Antoine Griezmann from their wage bill soon. Messi wants to stay at the Camp Nou but cannot sign his newly agreed deal under strict La Liga salary cap rules. However, club president Joan Laporta is confident of handing a new contract to the Argentine before the end of the window.
The Daily Star adds that Messi ‘wants to stay at the Nou Camp but cannot sign his newly agreed deal under strict La Liga salary cap rules.’
Laporta said in an interview with Spanish news outlets El Transistor: “We want him to stay and Leo wants to stay, everything is on the right track, what’s left to sort out is the issue of fair play and we are in the process of finding the best solution for both parties.”
“I’d like to be able to announce that he is staying but at the moment I cannot do that, because we are in the process of looking for the best solution for both parties.”
On 12 July 2019, Barcelona announced the signing of Antoine Griezmann to a five-year contract after paying his €120 million buy-out price. When he joined Barcelona, they inserted a buyout clause in his contract worth a staggering £683m, but he could be available for a fraction of that now. Griezmann scored 20 goals in the La Liga season last season, providing 13 assists as well in 51 games for the Camp Nou club.
The Blues are however focused on signing a striker, defender and a midfielder. Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Haaland & Tottenham Hotspurs Harry Kane has topped the Blues transfer targets for the summer. Haaland scored 41 goals in as many appearances across all competitions last season. However, with the Bundesliga side reportedly demanding £100m to even consider selling Haaland this summer, Chelsea may have to look elsewhere to bolster their attacking options.
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What Thomas Tuchel said about Antoine Griezmann
Back in the summer of 2019 when Tuchel was at Paris Saint-Germain, there was talk of the Frenchman joining the Ligue 1 giants after announcing his decision to leave Atletico Madrid.
Tuchel was clearly a fan of the 30-year-old at the time, PSG didn’t make a move for him as there were other areas in the squad that needed addressing.
“Antoine Griezmann can play with every team in the world. It would please any coach, but right now it’s not realistic [for PSG],” Tuchel told reporters back in 2019.
“We are looking for players with certain profiles; it must be realistic. We need defensive profiles, and we have to start with that.”
Thomas Tuchel was recently asked about his summer transfer plans for the upcoming season. The Blues boss said: “Two or three (signings) could be very, very good. It’s a constant thing to never deny change; that you always bring new energy, new guys who question the old beliefs, who challenge everybody in the training and in matches, so I think it’s a good thing.”
“We don’t need another seven and another complete turnover because it’s also our job to keep on improving, because we have still a young squad and it’s not about stealing from them the chance to prove it again, that they are capable of growing and evolving. But we have some ideas, of course, to make the group stronger, and I think this can always be a positive thing to challenge all of us.”
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