Transfers
The Frenchman stars in the bombshell on the last day of the market, according to ‘L’Equipe’, and returns to a club from which Saúl goes to Chelsea, also on loan and with an option to buy
As expected, the most intense transfer market in recent years still had a large operation left. Everything pointed to Real Madrid and Kylian Mbappé, but in a turn of events typical of a film script, the focus shifted to another Frenchman, Antoine Griezmann, who returns to Atlético on loan from Barça, with a purchase option for the mattress club.
The departure of Saúl Ñíguez to Chelsea, also as a loan, in exchange for an amount of five million and also with a purchase option for the ‘blues’, generated the necessary space for the incorporation of Griezmann, from whose high record Barça needed to get rid of at all costs to lighten an absolutely skyrocketing wage bill in recent times.
From the first hour, at the Camp Nou they reactivated the departure of the French attacker. The initial idea at the Camp Nou went through a barter with Joao Félix, a possibility that was already raised in July although with Saúl as the objective. Simeone’s lack of confidence in the Portuguese led his agent, the well-known Jorge Mendes, to probe his departure, a circumstance in which it was in the interest of Barça to get rid of the Frenchman’s large record.
However, Atlético did not contemplate the possibility of parting with a player for whom it paid almost 130 million euros two summers ago and only agreed to negotiate for Griezmann without other players involved, until finally finalizing the surprising agreement at the closing limit, under the horn.
Faced with this situation, Barça went to the market to look for an attacking player. He has noticed the Dutch striker of Sevilla Luuk de Jong, although he could also be testing the Swiss of Benfica Haris Seferovic, who made a great European Championship with the Swiss national team. Throughout the day at the Camp Nou offices came the offer of Uruguayan Edinson Cavani, without a place at Manchester United after Cristiano Ronaldo’s arrival at Old Trafford, but his salary made incorporation impossible.
Salary reduction and more exits
The Barça team not only lowered its salary mass through transfers, as it achieved a reduction in the salary of two heavyweights from the culé dressing room. Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba agreed to cut their chips in order to help alleviate the delicate financial situation of the club and allow the registration of Agüero.
Previously, Barça tried to release footballers who do not count for Koeman such as Pjanic or Umtiti, a more than complex mission that has finally been impossible. The Bosnian midfielder wanted to return to Juventus and in Turin they did not see his return with bad eyes, but a high record definitely made the operation difficult. No offer came through the French center, as their market was almost nil due to a physical condition that has stopped short what seemed like a promising race.
In addition to Griezmann, Ilaix Moriba and Emerson Royal left the Azugrana squad. The youth squad has already closed his departure to RB Leipzig, which pays 16 million euros plus six in variables as a transfer. Meanwhile, the Brazilian right-back is going to Tottenham after the agreement reached between both clubs, which establishes the payment of 25 million fixed euros plus another five in variables by the London club and that will allow the player to significantly increase his salary to three million net per season.
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