Griezmann targeted by Man United, Man City, Chelsea, Barca, Real Madrid – advisor

Antoine Griezmann’s advisor has told RMC that Premier League trio Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City as well as La Liga giants Barcelona and Real Madrid have made enquiries regarding the Atletico Madrid striker’s future.

ESPN FC reported in February that Griezmann is a No. 1 target for United this summer, and speculation continues over the France international’s future.

Eric Olhats, who first spotted Griezmann’s talent and took him to Real Sociedad as a youngster, said no deal has been done with any club. However, he added that the pair are considering what the next move in Griezmann’s career should be with the number of potential suitors limited for a player of his calibre.

“There are not 50,000 clubs that can put 100 million on the table, it’s quickly figured out. That’s the price of the clause, they won’t give anything away cheaply. That limits the number of candidates right now,” Olhats said.

“I had heard that Manchester United was done, was signed, but we don’t even know if they’ll play in the Champions League! That’s important, I must say. Manchester United have made an approach to inform themselves, just like all the others. They come to find out what our thinking is, what the player’s thinking is, if there are possibilities, how much, how…But it seems logical.

“Chelsea, Manchester City, Barcelona and even Real have knocked on the door to see where things are, everyone comes to see what is do-able, and what is not do-able, that’s normal. It’s a game of musical chairs.”

Olhats added that Paris Saint-Germain had not made “any concrete approaches unlike there were last year” for Griezmann, while the “non-aggression pact” between Atletico and Real meant an intra-Madrid move was “impossible.”

In an interview on RMC in February, Griezmann had suggested that although he liked the “intensity” of the Premier League, a switch to England was unlikely.

“In England, there are a lot of doubts in terms of my private life,” the 26-year-old said. “The rain, bad weather…I need to be happy off the pitch.”

Olhats said: “We were criticised a bit over the fact that to be a player at the very highest level, you have to be able to go and play in the rain. Of course you do.

“But it’s true Antoine functions in terms of affection and what happens off the pitch. And here, all the conditions are in place. Everything. The place where he lives, friends, the sun…”

That would appear to restrict Griezmann’s potential moves with Olhats hinting that although the pair are considering the future, his client could stay put with his Atleti contract running until 2021.

“Of course we’re thinking about things because people are knocking on the door,” he said. “Everything that is put on the table right now, we’re thinking about it. I often hear that he needs a team that plays, where he defends less. Except that each year, Atletico Madrid are there or thereabouts. They have reached two Champions League finals, they won the league.

“It’s in terms of an evolution that we can ask ourselves questions. On the long-term return personally. Would it be a good thing to go and see something else? We’re thinking about it. It’s true they have a rather special way of playing, he has to do a lot of defensive work. Everyone wants to see him in a so-called ‘team that plays’ because that would be supposedly a lot better for him.

“But I’m going to be a little bit brutal about it: the question is not to know whether we’re bored s—less watching him, but whether he is bored s—less? Is he in a set-up that suits him, even if it may be surprising?”