Griezmann was also a substitute in Atlético’s last game against Celta

FC Barcelona has been surprised by information that appeared in France according to which it has almost closed an agreement with Atlético de Madrid due to the dispute between the two clubs on account of the transfer of Antoine Griezmann . This information published today in L’Equipe ensures that Atlético would be negotiating with Barça to lower the purchase option from 40 million to 25 to unravel the issue, allowing Griezmann to play without any type of restriction. The aforementioned information also pointed out that the agreement between clubs would be close.

However, sources from the Barça entity have denied to MD that there is any agreement with Atlético for Griezmann , to which they add that FC Barcelona remains in its position already explained last week: that according to its calculations and its interpretation of the contract transfer of the Frenchman to Atleti, the striker would have already played all the necessary matches so that the Madrid club is obliged to pay the 40 million that appeared as a purchase clause, subject to the Frenchman being used in a certain percentage of matches.

In this sense, Barça denies that this agreement is close and they remain in their position: that Atlético must pay 40 million for Griezmann . Last week MD already reported the position of the culé entity, which has the case in the hands of its lawyers so that they can study the presentation of a lawsuit against Atlético. In fact, Simeone has already admitted that Griezmann ‘s substitutions and that he enters from the 63rd minute to, according to Atleti’s calculations, prevent him from playing what would force them to buy the Frenchman, is because he is “a club man ”.

Barça insists that it already summoned Atlético de Madrid to announce that in his year of transfer Griezmann already fulfilled the necessary condition for the payment of 40 million to occur: play more than 50% of the time of the matches in the season he was on loan. Specifically, he reached 80%.

The detail of the contract was: assignment for one year, plus a possible extension to extend one more year. This condition for the second year was executed if in the first year he played more than 50% of the minutes (in games that were available). Therefore, in the first year, according to the interpretation of the legal services of Barça, Griezmann already amply fulfilled this condition.

In fact, for Barça it is now absolutely irrelevant that Griezmann plays from the 60th, 65th or 90th minute. The condition of the percentage of minutes affected the year he was on loan, which was last year.

The transfer was for one year, not for two seasons, hence the Barça club insists that it has everything to win in court. Then there was an extension that could be given or not depending on whether or not it met certain parameters.

Consequently, Barça ‘s legal services are preparing a lawsuit for the payment of 40 million euros to be executed, in the face of Atlético ‘s refusal in this interpretation: the time of playing more than 50% corresponded only to the first year of assignment. Barça announced that having fulfilled the condition of the first year, the player was already an Atlético player for all purposes.