Bharath Rammr
Manchester United are chasing Antoine Griezmann for quite a while now, according to the Mirror, and he has been the transfer target for several clubs already. The likes of Manchester City, Chelsea, and even Real Madrid are thought to be considering the Atletico Madrid forward. The rumours linking Griezmann with Manchester United began in the summer and it has continued to grow as the January transfer window approaches. It is highly unlikely that a player of Griezmann’s stature will make a January move, but all indications are that United are highly interested in the Frenchman.
Griezmann has been one of the La Liga stars of the campaign so far. Six goals and two assists in just seven league appearances speak volume about his quality. In short, he is in the league of a Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi. If some criticised Manchester United’s decision to pay £89 million for Paul Pogba, there would be few complaints if United meet the release clause of €80 million in Griezmann’s contract.
The French striker, who had signed from Real Sociedad only 2014 for £24 million, is being increasingly seen as a great alternative for Wayne Rooney. The England international’s stock has fallen considerably in the last couple of months. After having just lost his first-team spot at United, Rooney may very well be contemplating his next move if things don’t improve until the end of the season. Rooney is an extremely versatile player who has risen a long ladder to become the club’s second-highest goalscorer in all competitions.
Yet, he has been a shadow of his former self. After being utilised by the last two managers in almost every position possible, Rooney looks lost on the pitch.
Griezmann primarily is placed as a second striker and he would be a perfect foil for someone like Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Of course, it would be daft to expect the big Swede playing at United for several years to come. At 35 years of age, Ibrahimovic is clearly a stopgap solution. Griezmann, though, will be a long-term buy and the 25-year-old could not represent better value at £80 million. It should be remembered that the striker signed a new contract only back in July and it runs until the summer of 2021.
It places Atletico in a precarious position as far as the future of the striker is concerned. The presence of Pogba is a major advantage for United in their pursuit of Griezmann. It is no secret that both players share a great friendship developed during their time with the national team. Pogba could convince Griezmann to join United.
