BERLIN/BARCELONA – Barcelona's capture of Antoine Griezmann is
one the biggest transfer so far in the summer window, and more is
likely to come in Spain and elsewhere in Europe.
Brazil's Neymar has been linked with a return to the Camp Nou from
Paris Saint-Germain, Ajax captain Matthijs de Ligt could be heading
to Juventus, Bayern Munich are keen to get Germany winger Leroy Sane
from Manchester City, and Paul Pogba's future at Manchester United is
also uncertain.
"One domino has to fall. Football Europe is waiting for this. Once
that has happened many transfers will follow," Bayern Munich chairman
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said earlier in the week.
Apart from Sane, Bayern are allegedly also interested in Ousmane
Dembele who Barca could sell because they also need substantial
income in order not to violate Financial Fair Play rules. Philippe
Coutinho and Ivan Rakitic are others who may be leaving.
Griezmann on Fiday became Barca's fourth big signing, following Ajax
midfielder Frenkie de Jong, goalkeeper Neto from Valencia and
defender Emerson from Brazil's Atletico-MG.
The Catalans have already spent more than 230 million euros (259
million dollars), and getting Neymar back would also require a
massive fee after they sold him to PSG for a world record 222 million
euros two years ago.
The Spanish champions paid Griezmann's 120 million euro release
clause to sign the French World Cup winning striker.
"Griezmann, signed at last," ran Mundo Deportivo's front page on
Saturday.
"Signed, now, yes!" read Diario Sport's, referring to Griezmann's
rejection of Barcelona last summer when he signed a new contract with
Atletico instead of moving to the Camp Nou.
AS's front page ran "Signed, but.", explaining that Atletico want 80
million more for Griezmann and will report Barcelona to FIFA and take
legal action to get the money.
Atletico published a statement on Friday saying Barcelona need to pay
200 million euros for the forward because they reached a deal with
him before his release clause dropped to 120 million on July 1.
Barcelona-based newspaper Diario Sport's director Ernest Folch hit
out against Atletico's behaviour.
"The border between contact, conversation and negotiation lacks
clarity and all teams use that ambiguity, including Atletico," wrote
Folch.
"Denouncing another team for something you do yourself is, at
minimum, ridiculous.
"But Atletico's posture apart from being hypocritical is also
impossible to prove, if they have no document that shows that."
Atletico have meanwhile also sold defender Lucas Hernandez for 80
million euros to Munich, Rodri to Manchester City for some 70 million
euros to Manchester City, while spending 126 million euros to get
Benfica's teenaged forward Felix.
Not to be outdone, Real Madrid have signed Belgium star Eden Hazard
from Chelsea for some 100 million euros plus add-ons, spent more than
60 million euros on Eintracht Frankfurt's Serbia forward Luka Jovic,
and a similar amount in Lyon's Ferland Mendy, among others.
Rummenigge said that sums in the region of 100 million euros are
quite normal these days, and further big deals are also expected to
be made by the rich English Premier League clubs.
Rodri is the biggest signing so far, with United spending around 56
million euros on Crystal Palace's Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and Champions
League finalists Tottenham more than 60 million euros to get Tanguy
Ndombele from Lyon.