Barcelona news: Antoine Griezmann likens 'legend' Messi to LeBron James, jokes about sharing a drink with the Argentine

What's the story?

Barcelona's newest signing Antoine Griezmann has likened Lionel Messi to NBA superstar LeBron James and has said that he is looking forward to sharing the dressing room with him.

In case you didn't know...

Griezmann's longstanding saga with the Blaugrana came to an end after he made a €120 million move to the Camp Nou last week.

The Catalan giants were heavily linked with a move for the Frenchman in 2018 but were snubbed at the last minute with the use of a highly-publicised documentary.

This summer, the Spanish champions found themselves in the middle of a controversy after Atletico Madrid accused them of violating transfer rules by approaching Griezmann in March, before the drop in his release clause.

The 28-year-old forward's release clause was initially €200 million but dropped to €120 million at the start of July.

Following the official announcement of Griezmann's signing, the Rojiblancos further claimed that they were owed another €80 million from Barcelona owing to their secret negotiation with the player three months ago.

The heart of the matter

Griezmann has expressed his excitement at playing alongside five-time Ballon d'Or recipient, Messi, who he believes will go down as a legend like LA Lakers star LeBron James.

Speaking at a press conference, the World Cup winner said (via Sport English), "What makes me most happy is being able to share a dressing room and a mate [a South American drink] with Messi."

"I am really happy, he's the No.1 and a reference for all players. In NBA you have LeBron James, in football you have Messi. He's going to be a legend for my kids and for their kids. It's a joy to be able to play with him."

When asked if Messi and Suarez would be annoyed with his documentary last year, he replied, "Maybe. We will see when I get the chance to meet up with them. Everything can be fixed with assists on the pitch."

What's next?

It remains to be seen how Barcelona will line up with Griezmann now in the squad. The Catalan giants are next scheduled to face Chelsea in a club friendly on July 23.