FC Barcelona signed Sevilla striker Luke De Jong on loan on Tuesday to replace Antoine Griezmann who returned to Atletico Madrid.
Griezmann moved to Atletico Madrid with a loan contract worth 12 million US dollars. According to Barcelona, his contract includes a mandatory permanent transfer clause. Officially released.
“Barcelona Football Club thanks Antoine Griezmann for his commitment and dedication and wishes him all the best in the future,” the Catalan said in a press release. Griezmann joined Barcelona from Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2019 and has played 102 times for the Catalans in two seasons, scoring 35 goals and providing 17 assists.
According to reports, Atletico will pay Griezmann’s full salary. Next summer, the Wanda Metropolitan team will permanently sign the Frenchman for about 47 million U.S. dollars. ESPN.
On the deadline of the transfer market in the summer of 2021 (Tuesday), Barcelona reached an agreement on the loan of Sevilla striker De Jong until June 30, 2022. Camp Nou also said in a statement. statement It will pay the player’s full salary, and the contract can choose to make the transaction permanent.
De Jong spent two seasons in Sevilla, making 94 appearances for the club in all competitions, scoring 19 goals and 5 assists. In the 2019-20 season, he played a key role in the UEFA Europa League victory in Seville. He scored 3 goals in the game, including a brace against Inter Milan in the final, helping the Spanish team to lock the score 3-2.
It is understood that even before Griezmann left, coach Ronald Koeman wanted a solid No. 9 and hoped that Barcelona would chase De Jong, but sports directors Matteu Alemani and Ramon · Plains didn’t believe it.
However, when the transfer market on Tuesday came to a close, the Catalans began negotiations with Sevilla in order to bring depth to their team, especially after the loss. Lionel Messi And Griezmann this summer.
Photo: AFP/LLUIS GENE
Due to poor financial conditions, Barcelona was forced to sell Griezmann, which is believed to have an annual salary of approximately US$25 million.
This is earlier Report Barcelona hoped to use Griezmann to sign Atletico Madrid midfielder Sol Nigues through an exchange deal. However, this did not happen. Nigues eventually joined Chelsea on loan to participate in the 2021-22 season.
