FC Barcelona has on Friday confirmed the signing of Antoine Griezmann, and paid the 120 million euro buyout clause to release him from Atlético Madrid.
The player will sign a contract with his new club for the next five seasons, through to 30 June 2024, with a buyout clause of 800 million euros.
Although Barcelona just announced signing him today, Atletico Madrid Chief Executive Officer, Miguel Angel Gil, believes Griezmann agreed terms with Barcelona in March when his release clause was still at €200m (£180m).
Born on 21 March 1991 in Mâcon, France, Antoine Griezmann is currently one of the best players in the world. The striker comes to Barça after consolidating himself as one of the top footballers in La Liga after spells with Real Sociedad and Atlético Madrid.
Scouted at an early by Basque club Real Sociedad, he headed for San Sebastián in 2005 at the age of just 14 after beginning his career with local side Charnay-lès-Mâcon. In Doností he made his first team debut at the age of just 18 in 2009.
Griezmann was one of the key figures in the return to the First Division of Real Sociedad a spell in the Second Division. In the Basque Country he played 202 games for the txuri urdin, scoring 52 goals. The Frenchman’s outstanding performances led to a €30 million move to Atlético in the summer of 2014.
In Madrid, Griezmann was part of the squad that were runners-up in the Champions League in 2016, a year in which he also finished amongst the top three in the battle for the Ballon d’Or.
In fact, he was the star of the French team that reached the final of the 2016 European Championship played in France, where he won the Golden Boot as top scorer (six goals). He was also outstanding for France’s World Cup winning side in 2018 in Russia, where he was the MVP of the final against Croatia.
The Frenchman can play anywhere in the front three although his usual position is on the left wing.
With his arrival at FC Barcelona, the Frenchman takes another step forward in his career with the goal of consolidating his place as one of the best players in the world.
