Barcelona is apparently contemplating a summer deal with Manchester United, in which Antoine Griezmann and Victor Lindelof will switch teams.
According to a report from Spanish daily El Gol Digital, Barcelona has proposed a bombshell swap deal with Manchester United involving Swedish centre-back Victor Lindelof in order to offload Antoine Griezmann.
Barcelona are in financial trouble and are desperately trying to transfer some of their highest-paid players, with Griezmann being one of them. So far this summer, the 30-year-old Frenchman has been courted by a number of Premier League clubs as the Catalans attempt to clear space on their salary bill in order to re-sign Lionel Messi to a new contract.
However, there haven't been many bidders for the 2018 FIFA World Cup champion so yet. Manchester City, the Premier League champions, are thought to be interested, and Manchester United, their local rivals, are also said to be keeping a close eye on the issue.
DON'T MISS:
And it appears that Barcelona intends to take advantage of Manchester United's interest in Griezmann by suggesting a swap deal in which Griezmann moves to Old Trafford and Victor Lindelof moves to Camp Nou, with Manchester United needing to pay a little fee as well.
Since joining Manchester United in the summer of 2017, Victor Lindelof has had a hit-or-miss career. While he has been a consistent member of the team, the Swede has not always been able to persuade observers of his ability.
And, with Manchester United ready to buy Raphael Varane from Real Madrid, the 27-year-old might find himself at the bottom of the pecking order, with Barcelona hoping to take advantage.
Despite signing Eric Garcia from Manchester City, the Catalans are on the search for defensive reinforcements, as the fates of Samuel Umtiti and Clement Lenglet, who are in a similar predicament to compatriot Griezmann, remain uncertain. With Gerard Pique nearing the end of his career, another experienced defender would be desirable, making Lindelof a potential option.
DON'T MISS:
Manchester United, on the other hand, could need a player who can play through the middle of the field in the final third, since Anthony Martial has repeatedly failed to live up to expectations and may have run out of options. And, with Edinson Cavani in his late thirties and Mason Greenwood still learning the ropes, Griezmann might assist Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his teammates improve the quality of their attack.
According to the source, the valuations of Griezmann and Lindelof differ by €30 million, which Manchester United will have to pay in order for the trade to go through. It's also been suggested that it may be a huge stumbling block, given that Lindelof is garnering interest from AS Roma.
It's highly improbable that such a trade would go through, especially as Manchester United is also looking to loan Axel Tuanzebe out, and Eric Bailly is contemplating his future at the club. Barcelona will have to find an other way to get rid of Griezmann.
No comments:
Post a Comment