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Antoine Griezmann Will Be Asked To Find A New Club If Lionel Messi Stays

Antoine Griezmann Will Be Asked To Find A New Club If Lionel Messi Stays

Whether Lionel Messi decides to stay at Barcelona or leave the club will reportedly make a huge difference to Antoine Griezmann's future.

Ryan Sidle

Ryan Sidle

Antoine Griezmann will be asked to leave Barcelona if Lionel Messi does eventually sign a new contract at the club, with Barca having to reduce their wages.

Messi staying at Barcelona or not is pretty much the longest transfer saga left in football, after it was announced that Manchester United had agreed a fee for Jadon Sancho.

The six time Ballon d'Or winner is expected to sign a new deal any day now but there is a complication, with Barca being told that none of their new players can be registered without them cutting millions from their wage budget.

That's where Messi's future becomes really important, considering how much they'd save without him, and it's especially important to Griezmann.

According to AS, the France forward will be given an important role in the team if the current club captain doesn't sign a new deal.

However the report also says that he'll be asked to leave if Messi does sign a new deal, with the former Atletico Madrid man's contract one of those the club can make a significant saving on.

Griezmann's future is directly linked to Messi's. Image: PA Images
Griezmann's future is directly linked to Messi's. Image: PA Images

The signings of Memphis Depay from Lyon and Sergio Aguero from Manchester City this summer, both without a transfer fee, takes Griezmann lower down the pecking order.

Add in the return of Ansu Fati from injury, and obviously Messi, and the 2018 World Cup winner will be struggling to get many minutes on the pitch.

Of course if Messi were to leave, then Griezmann would be able to play in his favoured position for the Catalan giants, a position normally taken by his captain.

Selling Griezmann won't exactly be as easy as the club telling him to find new suitors, with football clubs from around Europe all hampered by the past year and a half.

Aguero's arrival could limit Griezmann's playing time. Image: PA Images
Aguero's arrival could limit Griezmann's playing time. Image: PA Images

The club paid €120 million for the 30-year-old just two years ago from Atleti and would want to reclaim as much of that fee as humanly possible.

He is also reportedly on £795,000-per-week, an astonishing figure that would smash the record for wages in the Premier League, if he were to move to England.

Clubs over here are amongst the few that could afford him but there's no guarantee he'd be a priority for any of the top sides.

Manchester United have already signed Jadon Sancho, Manchester City are targeting Harry Kane and Chelsea also want an out-and-out striker.

Griezmann also comes with added issues after his recent controversy around alleged racist incidents, along with France and Barcelona teammate Ousmane Dembele.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Football, Barcelona, Lionel Messi, Antoine Griezmann, Transfer gossip, La Liga