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Arsenal in talks with Atletico over deal for £84m Griezmann

By on August 2, 2016

According to Italian journalist Emanuele Giulianelli, Arsenal are in talks with Atletico Madrid over a sensational deal to sign £84m-rated attacker Antoine Griezmann this summer.

Arsene Wenger is desperate to sign a new striker to offer competition for Olivier Giroud and we’ve been strongly linked with a move for Alexandre Lacazette after missing out on the likes of Jamie Vardy and Gonzalo Higuain.

However, Giulianelli claims that Lacazette is being lined-up as our backed-up option in-case Wenger doesn’t manage to secure a shock deal for his ‘dream’ target, Griezmann.

The Italian journalist says that Arsenal chiefs have been in talks with Atletico for several weeks but have been told they won’t do business for anything less than the 25-year-old’s €100m buyout clause.

In today’s exchange rate, that now works out at over £84m, which is well beyond our budget so any deal is highly unlikely unless Atletico lower their demands substantially.

There is a possibility that the La Liga giants may soften their stance if they mange to lure Diego Costa back from Chelsea. Diego Simeone is keen to partner Costa with new striker Kevin Gameiro and they could cash-in on Greizmann if they can get a deal agreed for the Spanish international.

Giulianelli claims that Arsenal are making one last push to try and land the French international but Wenger isn’t thought to be too confident, hence why he’s lining-up a deal for Lacazette in the back ground.

Who knows how much truth there is behind this report but obviously Griezmann would be a sensational signing. He is genuinely world class and we’d finally have a striker who would strike fear in to opposition defences again.

He was the star of Euro 2016 and we all saw how well he linked up with Giroud so it would be a dream to see it at Arsenal next season but realistically we’re highly unlikely to get a deal agreed.

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If Pogba is worth over £100m, Griezmann should be worth £120m in today’s market. Atletico will know his value so why would they accept less than his £84m buyout clause? Even if they do get Costa, I don’t see them lowering their price to what Wenger will pay.  £60m would still probably be out of our reach.

So while I’d love to see Griezmann come to Arsenal, I think Lacazette is a far more realistic target for us….