Atletico Madrid's president has provided an update on their pursuit of Barcelona superstar Antoine Griezmann. Elsewhere, a Barcelona forward is in discussions to join a Premier League side this summer, with only personal terms yet to be agreed upon.
With that being said, here are the latest transfer rumours surrounding Barcelona on 31st July, 2021.
Atletico Madrid president provides Antoine Griezmann update
Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo has provided an update on the club's pursuit of Barcelona's Antoine Griezmann. The Blaugrana were locked in negotiations with Atleti over a swap deal involving Griezmann and Spanish midfielder Saul earlier this month. However, that deal seems to have fallen through.
Cerezo was asked about whether the club are still interested in signing Griezmann this summer, to which he replied:
"We do not rule out anything, but what we can say is that Griezmann is not an easy signing. It’s a difficult operation."
West Ham close in on Martin Braithwaite
Premier League side West Ham are close to agreeing to a deal to sign Danish forward Martin Braithwaite. The Dane has been deemed surplus to requirements at Barcelona following the arrivals of Sergio Aguero and Memphis Depay.
According to SPORT, West Ham are confident of signing Braithwaite and have agreed to a fee of €15 million for the forward. The report states that the 30-year old is negotiating personal terms with the club and should be joining them in the near future.
Barcelona interested in Manchester United defender
Barcelona are reportedly interested in signing Manchester United defender Victor Lindelof and are considering offering a swap deal for the Swede. The centre-back has found himself lower down the pecking order at the club following the arrival of Raphael Varane from Real Madrid.
According to El Gol Digital, Barcelona are surprisingly willing to offer French superstar Antoine Griezmann in a swap deal to get the transfer over the line. The Blaugrana are desperate to get the Frenchman's salary off their wage bill as they look to re-sign Lionel Messi before the start of the 2021-22 season.
However, given the disparity in terms of the quality of the two players, it is unlikely that Barcelona would allow Griezmann to leave in a straight swap for Lindelof. They are likely to demand Manchester United to pay them a considerable fee.