This summer’s transfer window is shaping up to be one of the most explosive in history, and in more ways than one.
We’re still over a week from the window officially opening yet deals have already been agreed across Europe, and clubs are just waiting for July 1 to have them rubber stamped.
One player who is definitely on the move is Antoine Griezmann, but his treatment of Barcelona last summer looks like it could come back to haunt him.Atleti director, Miguel Angel Gil Marin, has publicly come out and said that the player agreed to move to Barca way back in March.
Depending which sources you trust, there’s since been a suggestion that some players in the dressing room don’t want him. If they weren’t good enough for the Frenchman first time around, nothing has changed.
That said, Leo Messi and others have denied any quotes being attributed, and would, apparently, welcome him with open arms.
Why wouldn’t they? He remains a fabulous player and one of the top five in the world.
Supporters don’t seem too enamoured after his ‘La Decision’ video last year left Barca in complete limbo when Griezmann decided to stay with the Rojiblancos, but for all of the noise it’s believed the deal is done.
Step forward Neymar.
Even as recently as a fortnight ago, nobody was giving any credence to news coming from Paris that the Brazilian wanted to ‘come home.’ Home to a club he’d unceremoniously dumped two seasons ago.
Barcelona simply couldn’t afford him, and president Josep Maria Bartomeu was on record well before this summer as saying that Neymar could never return.
Not to mention, he still has an outstanding court case against the club, is currently injured and at the centre of rape allegations.
Everything surrounding Neymar is a circus, and Barca really don’t need those sorts of headlines right now.
However, sources close to both clubs have let it be known that things are progressing. Barcelona could, with €100m and one of either Dembele, Umtiti or Rakitic, at least get PSG around the negotiating table.
Messi and Suarez are known to want to rekindle the MSN strike force that was so successful for the Catalans, and would likely do so at the expense of Griezmann.
Simply put, Barcelona couldn’t afford to buy both players and stripping away any other factors, Neymar is a perfect fit, still, for the club.
Given that they’re so desperate to win the Champions League again, will Barcelona go against their previous principles and welcome back a player who really burned his bridges when he left?
Watch this space!
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