Antoine Griezmann| Catalunya Radio say Griezmann to Barcelona is done for €100m

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amolbhatia50k said:
Where would he fit in ? Messi is playing more centrally and Suarez is a 9. Don't you need a winger more?
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I see Messi playing more as a 10 than as a false 9 in the future. Coutinho and Griezmann would make Barca the best in the world. Suarez is on a decline, he might be sold in 2 seasons.

Wingers can drift inside and I have no doubt Griezmann can be a new Villa for us. Would certainly occupy a wide forward position more often than a classical Robben type winger spot.
 
The reason Mourinho plays with Mata even though he barely does anything now is because we need an attacker who can circulate the ball well and has some creativity. If we bought Greizmann, we would likely stay with a 4-2-3-1/4-4-2:

Lukaku
Martial - Griezmann - RW
Matić - Pogba
LB - Rojo - Bailly - Valenica
De Gea
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I think Mourinho would then seek to balance out the team by buying some sort of wide playmaker to do the role Mata does in terms of circulating the ball to play on the right. After all, I think a minimum of two playmakers are needed for an elite team to ensure you break down opposing defenses regularly. Pogba is one, and Matić has proven he isn't too bad at creating from deep at times but I still think we need a second. Bernardo Silva probably would have been the best wide playmaker we could have signed; such a shame City bought him.

I think we would be in a situation where Rashford an Martial continue to interchange, but they can't do that dorever. At some point one has to establish himself as a regular in the team, and I fear for what will become of the other at that point. We couldn't just drop either of Griezmann or Lukaku because they are two £80m players so they have to play.

I have question marks over signing this guy anyway, I fear he will often go missing like Mkhitaryan or Mata when we need somebody who will dominate and demand the ball on the regular. Mkhitaryan was Mourinho's man and it's clear that he isn't the future of the team. The #10 is so important to Mourinho's system, he may decide to go with somebody like Özil just because he is PL proven, and knows what he is getting having worked with him before. Mourinho knows he is expected to win the league in either season 2 or more likely 3 so I don't think he will take chances in the transfer market.
 
I didn't think there was any chance of Griezmann moving in the January window, but if Atletico don't pull their finger out soon this season is almost a write-off (by the standards they've set the last four or so years). If in a couple of months they are out of the CL and well back from the La Liga leaders, he may just think of moving ASAP.
 
Atletico are pretty much out of the CL. They are not gonna win the league. If we offer to activate his release clause in January he might be tempted. I know it's a WC year but he's pretty much guranteed a spot in the French squad and signing him in January means at best we have a quality player for the run in, at worst he takes 6 months to settle in the PL and integrate into the team, so he's prime and ready for the next season, something he won't be if he joins in the summer as he's likely to miss pre season due to the WC. I think he could be tempted in January.
 
King7Eric said:
Atletico are pretty much out of the CL. They are not gonna win the league. If we offer to activate his release clause in January he might be tempted. I know it's a WC year but he's pretty much guranteed a spot in the French squad and signing him in January means at best we have a quality player for the run in, at worst he takes 6 months to settle in the PL and integrate into the team, so he's prime and ready for the next season, something he won't be if he joins in the summer as he's likely to miss pre season due to the WC. I think he could be tempted in January.
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Agreed. If we are still determined to bring him in, a January move might be appealing for all parties. Atletico's transfer ban will be over come January and they have already bought a potential replacement striker in Costa.
 
Missed the boat - he can feck off until the summer at the very least. From what I’ve heard, we’ve not missed out on much either as he’s been piss poor.
 
Given the lack of good wingers, we should be looking to adopt a 352 system:

-----------Lukaku - Griezman
----------------Fekir
------------Matić - Pogba
Ghoulam-----------------------Meunier
-------Rojo - Bailly - Smalling

The system lets us utilise all of Martial, Rashford, and Lukaku in their preferred positions, and rotate two strikers. My preference would be to buy another solid CB for this setup, like Koulibaly or Laporte.
 
PoTMS said:
Missed the boat - he can feck off until the summer at the very least. From what I’ve heard, we’ve not missed out on much either as he’s been piss poor.
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If we do still want him, getting him in January instead of waiting until the Summer is better for us in every single way. It costs exactly the same amount (other than an extra 6 months of wages) and we get an extra half a season out of him. He either fits straight in and we get a fantastic player for the second half of the season as we hopefully go deep in multiple competitions (obviously he wouldn't be able to play in the CL, but he'd allow us to rotate our other attackers). Or he does take a little while to acclimatise, in which case better for that to happen now and be ready to go for the new season rather than taking a few months at the beginning of next season before he starts firing.

Obviously this depends on whether Mourinho still wants him or not. If he does, we'd be stupid not to talk to Griezmann about whether he's ready to come now or if he is definitely set on staying until the Summer.

I haven't actually watched him or Atletico play this season, but my understanding is that he's been relatively average by his very high standards, not 'piss poor'. Indeed, the entire team has been relatively average.
 
Get him, this season was always going to be doomed for them. He was as good as gone before feeling obligated to stay and the lack of transfer just meant the team stagnated this season too. The pool is shallow of top quality players that are remotely available, and an opportunity to buy one doesn't come around every often.

No brainer for me #7
 
Getting more and more lukewarm towards the idea. If we decide to play with two strikers \ shadow striker I would prefer Martial and Rashford to share that role, and as a #10 we need a creator and creative output more than we need a poacher with great movement.

If we persist with 4-2-3-1 then he isn't the type of #10 we are in need of.
 
SwansonsTache said:
Getting more and more lukewarm towards the idea. If we decide to play with two strikers \ shadow striker I would prefer Martial and Rashford to share that role, and as a #10 we need a creator and creative output more than we need a poacher with great movement.

If we persist with 4-2-3-1 then he isn't the type of #10 we are in need of.
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Who or what is the 10 we need then? 2010 Snijder? There isn't many world class 10s out there that are available and suit Mourinhos style.

Then again Jose caused the league havoc with Lampard as a 10. He isn't exactly KDB/Ozil at creating.
 
I have said all along I cant see him coming here. Some players use Utd to get a better deal or to move from their club to a better club. 3 off the top of my head Ronaldinho, Sneijder, Ramos were all supposed to be coming and things went shit somehow at the last minute.
 
I see him here in January since Athletico seems to be on their way out of the Champions league
 
Trizy said:
Who or what is the 10 we need then? 2010 Snijder? There isn't many world class 10s out there that are available and suit Mourinhos style.

Then again Jose caused the league havoc with Lampard as a 10. He isn't exactly KDB/Ozil at creating.
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Lamps might create 10 less a season than Kdb or ozil... but equally he will probably score 10 more
 
SuperiorXI said:
I think in January we need to go all out to get him if we want to at least challenge for the title.
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We're out of the title race already and we're two months off January. Not only that but Athletico won't sell in January and I don't think Griezmann would want to move mid season if Athletico carry on the poor form.
 
Didn’t want him in the summer, and there’s been little this year to change that view.

I like the look of Fekir, great dribbling ability. I think we need a controller in the middle too.
 
Honestly I think signing Griezmann just feels like a ‘very United of the past 3-4 years’ thing to do.

A very good player who doesn’t entirely fit the squad or system, will end up doing well but not enough. It’s almost like he’s become this buzzword around some fans that signing him will make everything good again.
 
Massive upgrade and a player that wouldn't be out of place in the city team...
 
I know its Don Balon but anyone see any grain of truth in the story they are running about the other senior players wanting him out?
 
Alabaster Codify7 said:
This ship sailed last summer, we are never getting Griezmann, I'm certain of it.
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I've been saying exactly this for the last few months.
He'll be another one of those players where every Summer, we shall be linked with him...but he will never join.
 
We mostly assume Griezmann will join up with Pogba at Utd next year, I have strong doubts tbh, for me it would not be a shock to see Pogba join Griezmann at BARCA in the next few years!!
 
reddaz71 said:
We mostly assume Griezmann will join up with Pogba at Utd next year, I have strong doubts tbh, for me it would not be a shock to see Pogba join Griezmann at BARCA in the next few years!!
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Naah. Unless Messi or Suarez leaves, they will not be able to accept both
 
I think he's a very good player, however I'm not sure about playing him behind Lukaku. We need someone who is very creative and can dictate play from that position. However if we buy both, it would be awesome.
 
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