The possibility of Antoine Griezmann moving to Manchester United in the summer looks to be gathering pace with the player’s key advisor claiming that a move to Old Trafford would be a great fit for the France striker. Griezmann had previously been linked with an £85 million transfer to Old Trafford. This would be his release clause, but it now appears that Atletico Madrid may be willing to the business at a slightly lower figure. Griezmann’s less than stellar form this season might be a reason. As a result, it is looking highly likely that a fee could be agreed in the region of £60 million.
Even though it would still represent an incredible outlay on the part of the Red Devils, it is substantially lower than the initial £85 million fee. Griezmann could be the major signing of the summer, and he will be given the No 7 shirt. This is the iconic jersey at Manchester United and it has been worn by legends like Eric Cantona, George Best, and Cristiano Ronaldo. Memphis Depay was the last player to wear this number, and he certainly did not live up to his potential. After selling the midfielder to Lyon back in January, United are now free to give this number to Griezmann.
The player’s ‘image advisor’ Sebastien Bellencontre was quoted by the Sun as saying:
“When I read articles about a hypothetical transfer to Manchester United I think it would be the ideal commercial scenario.
“He would play at David Beckham’s former club, which is his idol, with the same legendary number on his back.”
Jose Mourinho reportedly sees Griezmann as the missing link in the United puzzle. Even though the club are struggling to even finish in the top four this season, they are unbeaten in more than 15 games in the league. The latest 3-0 win over Leicester City has helped to close the gap on the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool. Both clubs seem extremely vulnerable at this moment. United will fancy their options against these two teams even though they will be still involved in a number of competitions from now until the end of the season. Progression into the latter stages of the FA Cup and the EFL Cup mean that United could possibly play up to 30 games from now till the end of the season. This is in contrast with rivals like Tottenham, who will play only up to 23 games.
Mourinho has identified that the squad needs a lot of strength in depth in order to be able to cope with the demanding fixture schedule. As a result, players like Wayne Rooney and Ashley Young were prevented from leaving the club in January. Rooney is expected to be the main casualty once Griezmann arrives at the club. A move for the French striker would reunite him with Paul Pogba, as he shares a great friendship with the world’s most expensive player.
