Antoine Griezmann to Barcelona: Lionel Messi prefers Premier League Superstar over Griezmann

Lionel Messi is preferring Premier League Superstar over Antoine Griezmann at Barcelona. 

Barcelona were close to agreeing on a deal for Antoine Griezmann last summer, but the French International decided to stay put at Atletico Madrid. The World Cup winner, twelve months later, has announced his departure from the club based in the Spanish capital, with the Blaugrana strongly linked.

According to the reliable Fabrizio Romano, Ernesto Valverde is ready to splash €125 million on Atletico forward Antoine Griezmann. Lionel Messi spoke about the prospect of lining up with him last summer, but the Argentine is against his manager’s move. According to the Spanish publication Diario Gol, Lionel Messi and Co are preferring Harry Kane over Antoine Griezmann.

The report says that it is mainly down to the public statement Griezmann made last summer. That move has caused infuriation to the Barcelona Skipper, who would rather see Tottenham Hotspur wizard Harry Kane over Antoine Griezmann at Barcelona.

Like Griezmann, Kane has agreed on personal terms with the Blaugrana and that the striker will leave Tottenham Hotspur at the end of the season – especially if they end up winning the Champions League.

Considering how established Liverpool and Manchester City are, Harry Kane believes that Spurs are well off those sides in the league and the prospect of competing for the league with those two looks unlikely currently. Should the English International move to Nou Camp, Valverde is willing to change the formation to 4-3-1-2, Lionel Messi playing behind the double pivot Luis Suarez and Harry Kane.

Daniel Levy will not entertain any offers, and Barcelona also look unlikely to splash anything more than 150 million which will come back to bite their back. Philippe Coutinho, Ousmane Dembele, and Frenkie De Jong have taken 340 million alone, and it rather looks unlikely to sign Kane at this point.

The Spanish publication Sport have also claimed that the whole squad of Barcelona are feeling ‘betrayed’ by Antoine Griezmann over the last year’s antics. It will be interesting days ahead at Nou Camp.

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Barcelona will play their last La Liga game against Eibar before taking on Valencia in the finals of the Copa Del Rey.