Manchester United agree fee for Matthijs De Ligt, Arsenal set to sign Real Madrid forward and more: Transfer Roundup, 6 July 2019

Atletico Madrid label Barcelona 'disrespectful' in their pursuit of Antoine Griezmann

Antoine Griezmann

Antoine Griezmann's move to Barcelona looked all set to be sealed. However, things have taken a turn for the worse as for as the Catalan giants are concerned. In response to comments made by Josep Maria Bartomeu about reaching an agreement with Griezmann prior to his availability has riled up Atletico Madrid.

Atletico have ordered for Griezmann to return for pre-season training. Griezmann had, however, earlier announced via social media that he intends to leave the club this summer. Atletico Madrid put up a strong message on their website about Barcelona's untimely approach.

The statement read,

"Following today's quotes from FC Barcelona president Josep María Bartomeu on our player Antoine Griezmann, Atlético de Madrid wishes to publicly declare that:

"On May 14, Antoine Griezmann informed Diego Simeone and Andrea Berta of his decision to leave our club at the end of the season. In the days that followed that meeting, Atlético de Madrid learned that FC Barcelona and the player had reached an agreement in March, specifically in the days following the return match of our Champions League tie against Juventus, and that they had been negotiating the terms of the agreement since mid-February.

"Regarding president Bartomeu's statement today we wish to state that it is true that yesterday there was a meeting between Miguel Ángel Gil and FC Barcelona CEO Oscar Grau, at Barcelona's request and that at that meeting, Mr Grau expressed his intention, once the release clause of Antoine Griezmann's contract had decreased from 200 to 120 million euros, to ask for a deferred payment of the aforementioned amount of the clause in force as from July 1.