22-Goal Striker Speaks Out Amid Reports Man Utd Are Lining-Up £86m Swoop

Managers are now making plans for the summer transfer window so we’ll bring you all the latest news and gossip from around the globe. Today, Antoine Griezmann opens up on his future…

Atletico Madrid striker Antoine Griezmann has spoken out about his future amid reports linking him with a big-money move to Manchester United, Real Madrid or Barcelona, according to a report in the Daily Mail.

Griezmann has developed in to one of the best strikers in the world since joining Atletico from Real Sociedad in 2014 with the Frenchman named as the third best player on the planet behind Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo this year.

The 25-year-old netted 32 goals to help lead Diego Simeone’s side to the final of the Champions League last season and he’s continued his excellent form with 22 goals and 11 assists so far this campaign.

Griezmann has understandably caught the attention of several big clubs throughout Europe with the likes of Man Utd, Real Madrid and Barcelona among those credited with an interest in the media in recent months.

The Daily Mail claim that United are ready to trigger Griezmann’s £86m buyout clause after Reds boss Jose Mourinho made him a prime summer transfer target.

The French international has admitted that playing for the likes of Barca, Real, Bayern Munich and big clubs in England has been a dream since he was a child.

However, Griezmann insists that he’s happy to remain at Atletico and appeared to distance himself from moving to England after saying he’s happy in Spain due to it’s favourable weather.

After being quizzed about playing for Madrid or Barca, Griezmann is quoted by the Daily Mail as saying:

‘Why not? It’s a dream to play for the biggest clubs and those two are up with Bayern [Munich] and English clubs that I have dreamed about since I was small.

‘But I don’t see myself at Barcelona or Real. Or anywhere else. I am happy in Spain. It’s sunny – that helps. I need that to be in my private live and on the pitch. The two are linked.’

‘I don’t want to leave Atletico to go to Paris (Saint-Germain), China, the United States, Russia or elsewhere.

With Wayne Rooney expected to leave Old Trafford this summer and Zlatan Ibrahimovic yet to sign a new extension, Mourinho is almost certainly going to bring in a top class striker and Griezmann would be a sensational coup if United could pull it off.

However, it sounds like he’s happy in Spain and this isn’t the first time he’s made reference to the weather as he’s previously questioned whether he’d be happy to live in the English climate, so I’d personally be surprised if he was to move to United this summer.

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I have a feeling we’ll see Griezmann stay at Atletico to lead them out in their new stadium next season and then reassess his future in 2018, at which point no doubt United will still be doing all they can to lure him to Old Trafford.