‘Open to all proposals’ – Club president admits Spurs-linked star could be sold

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has admitted that the Catalan club are open to offers for Antoine Griezmann, who has been linked with a move to Tottenham. 

Griezmann has failed to live up to expectations since his £108m move from Atletico Madrid to Barcelona in 2019 and the forward is thought to be surplus to requirements at the Camp Nou.

Reports have alleged that Tottenham are looking to strengthen their forward line this summer, with Nuno Espirito Santo set to employ a formation with two strikers.

L’Equipe claimed last week that Barcelona had offered the North Londoners the chance to sign Griezmann.

The report explained that the La Liga giants are keen on selling some of their biggest earners to ease their financial issues, with the Frenchman being named as one of the players who could depart.

It was also revealed that the World Cup winner had been offered to other clubs, including Manchester City and Juventus.

Laporta has now admitted that balancing the books is a priority for Barcelona and refused to rule out the possibility of cashing in on Griezmann. 

When asked about the speculation regarding the 30-year-old’s future, the Barca president told ESPN: “Griezmann is a Barca player, he has a contract with the club until 2024 and unless circumstances change, we are counting on him.

“There have been some movements on the market and we can’t deny that there’s been interest in him. That’s a sign of his quality.

“It’s a special market and you have to use your imagination, perhaps thinking in swap deals, but we value Antoine a lot. The club made a big investment in him and we are happy with him.

“It’s not easy for a club to come in with an offer for a player at his level. But the transfer window is just getting started and there’s a market for Griezmann.

“If things start moving, we’re open to all proposals because we’re in a delicate moment financially and we have to balance the books for to comply with the league’s financial fair play rules.”

Spurs Web Opinion 

A firesale by Barcelona seems probably in the final few weeks of the transfer window, given the club’s need to reduce their wage bill.

So, while I do not think there is any substance behind the speculation linking Griezmann with Spurs, I would not rule out the possibility of Paratici looking to do a loan deal or two with Barca this window. 

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