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Barcelona set for swap deal with Atletico Madrid

By Ernesto Hernandez

BARCELONA, SPAIN - MAY 08: Yannick Carrasco of Atletico de Madrid battles for possession with Antoine Griezmann of FC Barcelona during the La Liga Santander match between FC Barcelona and Atletico de Madrid at Camp Nou on May 08, 2021 in Barcelona, Spain. Sporting stadiums around Spain remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
BARCELONA, SPAIN - MAY 08: Yannick Carrasco of Atletico de Madrid battles for possession with Antoine Griezmann of FC Barcelona during the La Liga Santander match between FC Barcelona and Atletico de Madrid at Camp Nou on May 08, 2021 in Barcelona, Spain. Sporting stadiums around Spain remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images) /
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BARCELONA, SPAIN – MAY 8: (L-R) Antoine Griezmann of FC Barcelona, Koke of Atletico Madrid during the La Liga Santander match between FC Barcelona v Atletico Madrid at the Camp Nou on May 8, 2021 in Barcelona Spain (Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images)
BARCELONA, SPAIN – MAY 8: (L-R) Antoine Griezmann of FC Barcelona, Koke of Atletico Madrid during the La Liga Santander match between FC Barcelona v Atletico Madrid at the Camp Nou on May 8, 2021 in Barcelona Spain (Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images) /

A swap deal between Atletico Madrid and Barcelona said to be “imminent”

Antoine Griezmann’s time with Barcelona could be close to coming to an end as a report claims that the Frenchman is set to be included in a swap deal.

According to COPE’s Paco Gonzalez a deal between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid is imminent and would see Griezmann go back to his former club in exchange for Saúl Ñíguez.

A deal is expected to be reached and the only thing that could put a stop would be a change in mind by president Joan Laporta.

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According to Mundo Deportivo, Saúl would prefer a move to the Catalan giants as opposed to going to the Premier League. Griezmann, on the other hand, is not entirely keen on a move.

Furthermore, the Catalan outlet reports that Griezmann’s inner circle has not been contacted by the club about a move away. However, Atletico have been made aware that Barcelona would be willing to negotiate.

When rumors of a swap deal were first brought up, some members of the Barcelona board were against it because they did not want to strengthen a rival and have a repeat of last season when they sold Luis Suarez to Atletico.

That no longer seems to be the case as offloading Griezmann would be a significant piece in cutting down the wage bill. Despite his good performances for the club, Griezmann is set to be a casualty of the club’s mismanagement.

A potential hold up in getting a deal done may come from one of Barcelona’s demands. According to Sport, because of Griezmann’s valuation compared to Saúl, they are also asking for a transfer fee of €15 million. It remains to be seen whether or not Los Colchoneros agree to the condition.

Diego Simeone is still a big admirer of Griezmann and would love to have him back at the club. It may prove to be a factor in Griezmann deciding whether to go back or not.

Should a deal go through, it could solve a lot of problems for Barcelona. Not only do they get rid of a large contract, but they also get a 26-year-old midfielder. Perhaps a change of scenery is what Saúl needs after falling out of favor with Simeone.

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Manager Ronald Koeman has been asking for a box-to-box midfielder since they lost Georginio Wijnaldum to PSG. While Saúl doesn’t necessarily tick all those boxes, he could be an interesting piece in midfield next season.

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