This thread serves to amuse me more than to amaze. Go over the facts rationally (OK. As rationally as a muppet can).
1. Barca committed fewer offences, also appealed and were rejected.
2. Real committed more than Barca but way fewer than Atleti and didn't bother
3. Atleti committed several times the number of offences as Barca and still appealed
Which sane person - and I assume Woodward and co. are very sane indeed, looking at our P&L - would go into discussions in the belief that the CAS would overturn the ban? To every observer that was in the least bit rational, it would be obvious that this appeal was doomed to fail.
Now:
1. Griezmann hinted that he'd move and willingly and knowingly said there was a 6 in 10 chance he'd play for United (let's forget his flaky math and the 7/10 for staying)
2. All signs from people like Pogba and Griezmann himself were that it was done, bar the shouting
3. He said he would decide based on signings and whether these would help the club improve enough to win trophies
Transfer ban upheld and therefore no signings and presumably, no trophies beckon for Atleti as all their rivals will strengthen now.
Meanwhile:
1. Zlatan has not yet signed and has instead posted a video showing him to be a beast beyond our expectations - showing a recovery that stuns me (I've had the same surgery as him and at this stage was on crutches and barely scraping the ground with the operated upon leg. This when I was 18 and played regular football, while Zlatan is almost double the age, at 35).
2. Mino Raiola is stepping up the rhetoric on Zlatan and clearly angling for a better deal than that we had on the table
3. Reports started circling about what Zlatan would do...and how it'd impact us
Suddenly:
1. News hits of the CAS verdict (which was along expected lines)
2. We not only leaked the Griezmann news but also news that we were hunting for a "replacement" for Zlatan
3. News sprang up that we were also yanking the contract offer we had for Zlatan
All in all, I have no view on whether this will go through or not, but this is a long window. It doesn't close till September begins! We're on the negotiating table for loads of players and any that we even sign won't be able to kick a ball for us till at least July. We're therefore not in any rush to announce things that could weaken our position anywhere at all. It doesn't help us in any way whatsoever...while the current scenario also keeps the buzz going and the publicity, should something occur, would be over the top...
So, while I am not going to hold my breath on this, I'm not going to buy the argument that the CAS verdict was a shocker that suddenly made us / Griezmann change plans.