4 Clubs Antoine Griezmann could move to in the upcoming season

Modified Mar 21, 2019 06:45 GMT

Antoine Griezmann, the talismanic player of Atletico Madrid, also happens to be one of the most consistent attacking players in the world. He can play both as a second striker and an attacking midfielder. He is undoubtedly the primary reason behind Atletico’s rise in world football in the last 5 years or so.

He is a complete player and can dribble and shoot very well. He also has a good passing range, and breach the opposition defence with the faintest of touches. He has won the LaLiga once with Atletico, and also 2 Champions League runners-up medals. He is also quite adept at taking free-kicks, and has scored quite a few goals with them.

Griezmann is into his 5th season for Atletico, and scored 130 goals in 248 matches for them. He also has 18 goals and 8 assists from 39 matches in the ongoing season. He has also won the World Cup with the French national team in 2018.

It is quite obvious that most of the top clubs in the world would like to have such a player in their respective squads. In this article, we would take a look at 4 clubs Griezmann might move to in the next season.

#1 Manchester United

United seem to be the most favorable destination for Griezmann. He would definitely like to be associated with the most popular club in the world. Moreover, United also need him, as they often tend to lack creativity and potency in the final third.

Griezmann has the ability to hold on to the ball, and thereby control the tempo of the game. He is also capable of playing incisive passes to the strikers in and around the opposition penalty box. Moreover, He can also score goals himself, and should enjoy playing alongside the likes of Paul Pogba, Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford.

United are going through a rebuilding phase, and have a number of youngsters in their squad. Griezmann’s experience and class could prove to be very useful in such a scenario. Moreover, the lure and glamour of the Premier League could also entice Griezmann to join the “Red Devils”.

#2 Manchester City

A player of Griezmann’s quality might like to play under a coach of Pep Guardiola’s class. Moreover, City have a wonderful squad with players like David Silva, Sergio Aguero, Raheem Sterling and Kevin De Bruyne. Griezmann could be a great addition to that squad, and one can not rule out the possibility of him joining the blue half of Manchester.

Griezmann’s inclusion should give Guardiola more options in the attack. Gabriel Jesus is a very good striker, but not experienced enough yet. Aguero is ageing, and should like to have Griezmann as one of his allies.

Griezmann can also play as an attacking midfielder, and his role at City could actually be very similar to that of De Bruyne. He could play alongside the likes of David Silva, Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan in City’s much-vaunted midfield, and add to its potency. Griezmann’s set-piece prowess could also prove to be very handy for City.

#3 Barcelona

Barca seem to the most viable option for Griezmann to move to, should he decide to stay in LaLiga. His ability to play passes and retain possession might make him a priceless player for the Catalan giants. He could also be a great ally for Lionel Messi in Barca’s attack.

With Luis Suarez likely to leave the club next week, and both Philippe Coutinho and Ousmane Dembele lacking in experience, Barca would love to have a player like Griezmann in their line-up. Moreover, Barca’s midfield has also lacked creativity at times, as players like Sergio Busquets Arturo Vidal and Arthur Melo are primarily defensive players.

However, it is not going be an easy move, as very few players have actually ever moved to Barca from Atletico. Barca have expressed their interest in signing the Frenchman in the past though, and there is no reason why they cannot go ahead with it.

#4 Bayern Munich

The German giants might not retain veterans Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben in their squad for the next season, and might already be looking for suitable replacements. They have a number of young and promising players like Serge Gnabry, James Rodriguez and Gorretzka in their squad, and could do very well with the class of Griezmann.

Griezmann might also enjoy playing in Bundesliga, which boasts of the highest average attendance among all the European domestic leagues. Moreover, playing for Bayern would also mean having a great chance of excelling in the Champions League.

Bayern were knocked out by Liverpool in the most prestigious competition in club football only some days ago, and might want to make some big signings now. Replacing Robben and Ribery would not be easy, but Griezmann’s signings might solve a few problems for the Bavarians. Therefore, one cannot rule out the possibilities of Griezmann joining Bayern in the upcoming season.

Edited by Abhinav Munshi