ATLETICO MADRID STAR Antoine Griezmann wants his future resolved before joining up with France for the World Cup in June, with Barcelona reportedly eager to make a move for him.
Griezmann had been strongly linked with a transfer to Manchester United in pre-season, before ultimately opting to remain in Madrid.
Ever since it became clear a switch to the Premier League was not going to materialise, Barca emerged as a suitor and reports have even claimed Griezmann held talks with them at the end of last year, though the Catalan club strongly denied this.
Atletico also reported Barcelona to football’s governing body Fifa over alleged illegal contact made to Griezmann, according to Atletico club sources.
Nevertheless, speculation continues to suggest Barca will make Griezmann their primary target before next season and the striker just wants his future sorted early so he can concentrate on France’s World Cup campaign.
“I want to travel to Russia without this concern,” he told L’Equipe. “It’s not about knowing where I’ll play, but about having the peace of mind if I’m still in one place or another.
“It may be boring, but I have told my sister that, whether I stay or not, this will have to be resolved beforehand [prior to the World Cup starting]. What bothers me the most is that everyone asks me about this issue.”
Griezmann came third in the 2016 Ballon d’Or and he likes the idea of ultimately winning it one day.
Though he insists it is not something he is obsessed with, highlighting the fact he is only likely to claim it if he is playing in a successful side either at club or international level.
“When I’m happy, everything’s fine,” he added. “I want to win a World Cup or the Champions League, then the Ballon d’Or will come, if it has to come.
“I am part of a group and I prefer to win a collective title than an individual one. For example, the trophy to the best scorer of the European Championships – I would have preferred to win the competition.”
- Omni with additional reporting by Sinéad Farrell
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