Antonie Griezmann’s Barcelona future is reportedly still up in the air, and Premier League side Manchester United are said to be on red alert regarding the Frenchman’s situation.
Griezmann had a difficult first season at Barcelona, and scored just nine times in 47 appearances for the Blaugrana as they failed to win a trophy last season.
As per Daily Mail, Griezmann’s playing time at the club is now unclear under new manager Ronald Koeman as Lionel Messi will be staying put for another season.
The same report also claims that Manchester United have been alerted by Griezmann’s situation, but Liverpool and Arsenal are keeping an eye on the whole shebang.
The Red Devils are looking to strengthen their attack, and have been linked with Jadon Sancho, but considering they might have already been priced out of a move for the Borussia Dortmund star, Griezmann could serve as a viable alternative.
Why Manchester United should go all-out for Antoine Griezmann
Antoine Griezmann has had a bit of a strange period after the successful 2018 World Cup campaign where he shone for the French side. The 29-year old was supposed to light up Camp Nou with his performances, but that hasn’t happened.
One of the biggest reasons for his struggles has been his lack of link up with Messi, around whom the Barcelona attack is often built. Griezmann and Messi were rarely on the same page in the 2019-20 season, and the sacking of Ernesto Valverde further exacerbated matters as he signed the Frenchman.
Manchester United, on the other hand, struggled to find the right balance in the first half of the 2019-20 season, but closed the gap on the teams above them and finished third in the league table after Bruno Fernandes’ arrival in January.
The Portuguese has combined well with the Manchester United attackers, and has managed to get the best out of players like Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford, who were far too inconsistent before January.
Griezmann’s arrival would pose a selection headache for Solskjaer as the 29-year old’s preferred position is that of a centre-forward. His best performances have come in that role, as he has scored 75 goals in 141 appearances in that specific role.
Of course, he is versatile enough to play on the right as an inside forward, but will he be happy with that role? Considering Manchester United are looking for a right-winger, hence the links with Sancho. Griezmann wouldn’t necessarily be the best solution for that position, but he would add more depth to the squad. And then
Martial scored 17 goals in the centre-forward role last season, and that was his best return at the club, so he has picked up his game. Marcus Rashford also had a good return last season, but the two are still young and with that will come the inconsistency.
Griezmann, on the other hand, has the winning mentality, and is the experience the attack needs to close the gap on Liverpool and Manchester City, and potentially stay ahead of Chelsea who have strengthen their squad this summer.
Manchester United have signed just one player so far in the window, and it would be a massive signal of intent if they manage to rope in Griezmann.
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