We’re open to all proposals but Antoine Griezmann is Barcelona player, asserts Joan Laporta
Antoine Griezmann has made 99 appearances for Barcelona
|Getty
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has refused to rule out a potential move for Antoine Griezmann but did admit that unless things change, the club are counting on the forward’s presence. The 30-year-old signed for the La Liga giants in the summer of 2019 but has endured a tough spell at the Camp Nou.
While a lot was expected from Antoine Griezmann after his €120 million move from Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2019, the forward hasn’t exactly lived up to his prize tag. However, the 30-year-old has been a key part of the club with him making 99 appearances for the La Liga side, netting 35 goals in the process. But with the club’s overinflated wage-bill, the Catalan giants are looking to cut things down and reports have indicated that Griezmann will be one of the players to leave.
He won’t be the only ones but with Atletico Madrid keen on a swap deal, the two clubs are reportedly in talks over a potential move although Joan Laporta refused to confirm the news. He instead admitted that while Griezmann is a Barcelona player, the club are still open to all proposals for everyone. The Barcelona president also added that the club are in a “delicate moment financially” and need to figure out a way forward.
"Griezmann is a Barca player, he has a contract with the club until 2024 and unless circumstances change, we are counting on him. There have been some movements on the market and we can't deny that there's been interest in him. That's a sign of his quality. It's a special market and you have to use your imagination, perhaps thinking in swap deals, but we value Antoine a lot," Laporta said, reported ESPN.
“The club made a big investment in him and we are happy with him. It's not easy for a club to come in with an offer for a player at his level. But the transfer window is just getting started and there's a market for Griezmann. If things start moving, we're open to all proposals because we're in a delicate moment financially and we have to balance the books for to comply with the league's financial fair play rules."
