Manchester United are readying an ambitious swoop for Barcelona forward Antoine Griezmann, with the Spanish giants prepared to sell him for £90million.
The French star only arrived at the Nou Camp last summer has not yet made the impact that was hoped of him, and now Barca are willing to cash in as part of a wider revamp of the squad.
Now United are ready to pounce and want to recruit Griezmann as their marquee signing and show their confidence in his ability by giving him the famous number seven shirt – currently owned by flop Alexis Sanchez, according to Mundo Deportivo.
The club bestowed similar faith in the Chilean star after signing him from Arsenal in 2018, but he went on a miserable run of just five goals in 45 games at Old Trafford and was shipped out on loan to Inter Milan at the start of this season.
Griezmann was linked with a move to Manchester United in 2017 after the club won their place back in the Champions League, but the move failed to come to fruition with his old club Atletico Madrid undergoing a transfer embargo.
The Frenchman committed to staying and helping the team through that period, but was snapped up by Barca last summer when they paid his £110m release clause.
Many fans of the Spanish outfit hoped he might go down in folklore alongside favourites such as Neymar, Ronaldinho and Samuel Eto’o, but he hasn’t been as prolific as most supporters would have liked.
He has just eight goals in LaLiga this season, with 14 overall and four assists.
Barcelona have long been planning a refresh of their squad amid rumours that they are plotting a return for Brazilian star Neymar, and parting ways with Griezmann could allow them more funds to revitalise the team.
The report says that the club will accept offers upwards of £90m for the 29-year-old, which could possibly allow them to move for Inter forward Lautaro Martinez as a replacement.
United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is in need of more firepower after he sold Romelu Lukaku to Inter this season, with no immediate replacement coming in.
The club’s board backed the Norwegian in January with the loan signing of forward Odion Ighalo from Shanghai Shenhua, but the signing of Griezmann would be a real statement of intent and offer a reliable goalscorer with a winning mentality.
Griezmann’s career record makes impressive reading for United fans should the move go ahead. Since bursting onto the scene for Real Sociedad in 2009, he has netted 199 goals in 495 appearances.
He won the Europa League and UEFA Super Cup with Atletico before the defining moment of his career as he lifted the World Cup with France in 2018.
