Manchester United have reportedly offered €60million (£52.3m) for a top LaLiga striker who excelled at the World Cup in Qatar.
The Red Devils are expected to be in the hunt for a new forward when the January transfer window opens, following Cristiano Ronaldo’s acrimonious exit from the club.
One name heavily tipped to make the switch to Old Trafford is Atletico Madrid and France star Antoine Griezmann.
The forward enjoyed a hugely impressive tournament in Qatar, although he struggled in the final as Argentina snuffed out his threat and went on to lift the trophy on penalties.
Griezmann’s form for his club has not been at the same level, however. To that end, there have been strong rumours that Atletico are ready to cash in on the 31-year-old, along with fellow forward Joao Felix.
And according to Fichajes, United have made a substantial offer to lure the Spanish giants into a sale.
Griezmann cost Barcelona €120m when he swapped Madrid for Catalonia in 2019.
However, his spell at the Nou Camp did not go well and he returned to Atletico on loan at the start of last season. That deal included an option of a further year and then a €40m obligatory buy clause in 2023.
But Atletico reached a deal with Barca in late October that saw Griezmann complete a permanent return.
And while his struggles at club level have been well publicised, Griezmann’s displays in Qatar have reportedly prompted Erik ten Hag to see if United can convince the Spanish side to sell.
The report adds that Atletico’s financial troubles could lead to them reluctantly accepting a sizeable proposal. And the €60m offer from United would hand them a tidy profit.
Simeone has two big decisions to make
However, at this stage, it’s unclear whether Simeone is prepared to offload Griezmann and Felix in the same window.
United have also been linked with the latter, although Arsenal are rumoured to be in talks over a deal for the Portuguese.
But if Griezmann does make the switch to Old Trafford, he will bring proven quality in the forward positions.
Despite not operating as a No.9 for France, he is capable of filling that role if required. However, he clearly operates better as a No.10, as he displayed in Qatar.
Griezmann has scored 234 goals in 617 career appearances. This season, he has notched six times in 21 games for Simeone’s men.