Antoine Griezmann’s move from Atletico Madrid to Manchester United appeared near certain early in the summer.
Having secured a return to the Champions League, it seemed all was set for United to fork out another eye-watering fee for a French international – not even 12 months on from bringing Paul Pogba back from Juventus.
However, it wasn’t to be. With United letting it be known that they were prioritising a move for a number nine (which later transpired to be Romelu Lukaku), Atleti were soon hit with a transfer ban, meaning they would have to wait until January to register new players.
Griezmann, who had admitted on television only weeks earlier that a move to United was a possibility, responded by deciding to stay put in the Spanish capital.
Now, perhaps inevitably, confirmation that Diego Costa will be returning to Atleti in January has sparked fresh talk of a Griezmann move to Manchester.
Sources have told ESPN FC that Costa’s arrival increases the likelihood of United sealing a move for the 26-year-old next summer. As a report by Mark Ogden points out, the one year contract extension Griezmann agreed with the Spanish club in the summer was signed on the condition that a buyout clause of €100m remained.
Such a fee is unlikely to deter United, with Jose Mourinho believed to be keen to resurrect a deal for the player at the end of the season.
