‘It’s done and it’s a good deal’ – Barcelona confirm Griezmann’s permanent return to Atlético

€180m spent on player in nine years 

This article first appeared on Sep. 9 and has been updated with new information. 

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has confirmed that an agreement has been reached to sell forward Antoine Griezmann to Atlético Madrid. According to the Catalan club boss, Barcelona will receive €20 million up front, with a further €4m in add-ons agreed as part of the deal. As well as a percentage of any fee, should Atlético sell the player for up to €40m in the future.

Barcelona’s president has confirmed that the club have avoided any “drama” by finally selling Antoine Griezmann to Atletico pic.twitter.com/ot1m4KYiKP

— Transfermarkt.co.uk (@TMuk_news) October 10, 2022

The 31-year-old talent traded Madrid for Barcelona in 2019 for no less than €120m, but never really lived up to the extraordinary amount of money he ended up costing the club. Following the latest La Liga market value update, Griezmann has a market value of €35m. “It’s done and it’s a good deal – we’ll receive €20m fixed and €4m in add ons, plus the difference if Atletico sell him for up to €40m,” said Laporta, as reported by Fabrizio Romano. “If Griezmann came back, we had to pay his €36m salary and it would have been a drama.”

Following confirmation from both clubs on Monday, Laporta’s comments suggest an end to a bitter dispute between both La Liga giants that has rumbled on for much of the season. In September, Mundo Deportivo reported that Barcelona were preparing a lawsuit that proved that their league rivals had an obligation to buy Griezmannn because a clause had already been triggered, meaning that the 31-year-old was already a permanent Atlético player. The details suggested that there was a clause that forced Atleti to make the deal permanent for €40 million if he played at least 45 minutes in 50% of the games he was available in. 

This was certainly the case last season. Griezmann played 35 games for the Rojiblancos, in which he scored eight goals and seven assists. Because of those appearances, his loan was automatically extended by one more season and opened the door for two different interpretations of the buy-option in his contract. It now appears that both clubs have found a solution. 

Barcelona were previously convinced that his appearances last season were enough to trigger the buy-option, Atlético, in the meantime, believed that the 50% had to be spread over both seasons Griezmann was on loan at the club. As a result, Griezmann was brought off the bench in the first five games of the season, playing 28, 28, 26, 27, and 29 minutes. Head coach Diego Simeone did not want to confirm that his selection process was part of a club directive but also did not deny it. “I am a man of the club and always will be,” Simeone said. 

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Griezmann to Barça: One of the most expensive transfers in history

Griezmann, too, was a man of the club for five years before he opted to force a transfer to Barcelona in 2019—the €120 million fee made him one of the ten most expensive players in history. The Catalans, however, were unable to stem the fee and the large salary, and Griezmann struggled to reach the form that made him one of the best players in the world while at Atleti. 

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