Barcelona is sympathetic to a summer departure from Antoine Griezmann, various media in Spain reported on Tuesday. On the front page of Sport states that Barcelona is ‘opening the doors wide’ for the attacker-cum-French international. The Spanish top club has both financial and sporting motives to say goodbye to Griezmann, but it is obvious that the lack of income predominates.
The fact that Lionel Messi has still not signed a new contract with Barcelona is mainly due to Financial Fair Play regulations. The salary house of the club has to be drastically reduced and that is not in line with the intention to bind the star to the club for at least two more years. The club is struggling with a ‘poisoned legacy’ from Josep Maria Bartomeu, who, as a former president, allowed the salary costs to rise enormously. Griezmann, for example, is on the payroll for no less than 34 million euros gross per year. Barcelona therefore has to get rid of several high earners, but for the time being there is hardly any interest. In total, Barcelona must save two hundred million euros in wage costs per year.
Barcelona is allowed to reinvest only 25 percent of its savings in the salaries of new players due to financial problems. The club has now said goodbye to five players: Junior Firpo (sold for fifteen million euros to Leeds United), Francisco Trinçao (on loan with option to buy to Wolverhampton Wanderers), Konrad de la Fuente (sold for three million euros to Olympique Marseille). , Jean Claire Todibo (sold to OGC Nice for 8.5 million euros plus 5.5 million euros in variables) and Matheus Fernandes. The latter’s contract was unilaterally terminated.
Barcelona know Griezmann is quite well positioned in the Premier League, where some clubs are still able to pay big bucks for players, as well as at Paris Saint-Germain. The French top club is in the stomach with the contract situation of Kylian Mbappé. The star does not want to renew his one-year contract and the club management does not want the French international to leave for free. PSG have been interested in Griezmann for years, but always ended up with other players for various reasons.
After the arrival of Sergio Aguero and Memphis Depay, Barcelona is willing to let Griezmann go for a market price, although that will probably not come close to the purchase price of 120 million euros. according to Sport Ronald Koeman wants to form an attack with Messi, Aguero and Depay and there will in principle be no prospect of a starting place for Griezmann. That is also the reason that the Frenchman is just as positive about a possible transfer, especially with a view to next year’s World Cup in Qatar.
Saying goodbye to Griezmann would be a significant saving in payroll costs. That is also one of the reasons that Barcelona has far exceeded the salary cap set by LaLiga and is therefore not allowed to sign new players for the time being. The club have still not been able to sign Aguero, Depay, Eric Garcia and Emerson Royal for the competition, including Messi, who is now officially free of transfer, if the two sides reach a formal settlement.