Atletico Madrid sign Barcelona forward Antoine Griezmann on loan

BBC
BBC
Antoine Griezmann

La Liga champions Atletico Madrid have re-signed forward Antoine Griezmann from Barcelona on a one-year loan deal.

Atletico will pay the player’s wages and there is a compulsory clause to make the transfer permanent.

The France international scored 133 goals in 257 games for Atletico, leaving in 2019 after Barcelona paid his £107m buyout clause.

But the 30-year-old scored just 35 goals in 102 games and managed to win only won the Copa del Rey with Barca.

He is the 11th player to leave financially struggling Barcelona this summer, including Lionel Messi.

Barcelona had to let their all-time top goalscorer leave to fit within La Liga’s wage structure, and Messi joined Paris St-Germain.

Griezmann is the third transfer deadline day sale from Barcelona. Right-back Emerson Royal joined Tottenham for £25.8m and teenage midfielder Ilaix Moriba moved to RB Leipzig for £13.7m.

Last summer, Atletico signed striker Luis Suarez from Barcelona and he helped Diego Simeone’s side win La Liga.

Chelsea signed Spain midfielder Saul Niguez, 26, from Atletico on a season-long loan deal.

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