Griezmann: 'My homage to the fans'

Antoine Griezmann on Monday welcomed the confirmation that his loan from Barcelona had become a permanent move as he signed a contract with Atletico Madrid until 2026.

The striker has been back at the Metropolitano since arriving on loan in August 2021 after a difficult spell at Camp Nou, following his 120-million-euro ($116.5-million) move from Atletico in 2019.

"I'm very happy because it's what I wanted since I returned," Griezmann said in a video published by Atletico on the club's social networks.

"To stay at Atletico, enjoy being at the club, with the coach, my teammates, the stadium, the fans, I did everything possible to stay here.

"When I saw there was the chance to stay for many years, I spoke with the club. I knew what they wanted from me, I didn't think much. I didn't care what I had to do. The one thing I wanted was to stay here."

The Catalan club said it will receive 20 million euros ($19.4 million) for the transfer, plus variables that could reach another 4 million euros ($3.8 million).

The teams had been in a contractual dispute that was limiting the 31-year-old forward's opportunities for Atletico, which reportedly would have had to pay Barcelona 40 million euros ($38.8 million) if his playing time surpassed a certain number of minutes.

Reports in Spain say the France international agreed to reduce the salary he was earning at Barcelona in order to make his stay permanent.

"I will give everything for my club, the trust of the coach, the fans, Atletico," continued Griezmann. "I'll give everything for the badge. I could miss chances, or passes, but I will give everything until the last second, as much as I can. I want that to be seen and felt.

"The fans make the effort of having their season ticket, of coming, of supporting us from the stands. This is my homage to the fans."

Key figure

The 2018 World Cup winner was a key figure in coach Diego Simeone's plans last season but has largely been reduced to substitute appearances in the current campaign as Atletico tried to avoid paying the contractual levy to Barca.

With the World Cup approaching and Griezmann keen to feature more, Atletico and Barcelona negotiated a new deal.

Barca president Joan Laporta confirmed the fee during the club's members assembly on Sunday, saying the deal with Atletico was crucial for his club because it keeps it from having to pay Griezmann's high salary if he returned from the loan.

Barcelona has been working hard to lower its player salaries and meet the Spanish league's strict financial fair play rules.

"It is for 20 million euros plus four more in variables," said Laporta.

"There is another clause in the deal to sell the player, which is that if Atletico decides to sell him in the future it will have to pay us the difference that remains, up to the value of the 40 million which was agreed before."

Atletico did not disclose the value of the new agreement.

Griezmann has played 303 times for the club, scoring 144 goals, across his two stints in the capital.

He netted 35 goals in 102 appearances for Barcelona, winning the Copa del Rey there in 2021. His arrival at Barcelona was due to happen in 2018 but he infamously decided to stay at Atletico for another season, making his choice on a television documentary called La Decision.

In club soccer, his biggest success has come at Atletico, winning the Europa League in 2018, as well as the UEFA Super Cup in the same year.

The former Real Sociedad forward is set to make France's World Cup squad again this year, and will likely arrive at the tournament in Qatar in November having played a lot more minutes than if the deal with Barcelona had not been reached.

Griezmann is expected to be fighting for a starting position in a France attack that will be spearheaded by Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappe and Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema.

Agencies