New Delhi: US-based Los Angeles FC are trying to make an ambitious move for Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann. The 33-year-old French International has spent eight of the last ten years playing for the club and has become a household name for Los Rojablancos. With his contract set to expire in 2025 when the Frenchman would be 34, there are reports that the club aren’t considering offering him an extension.
According to the renowned French outlet, L’Équipe, the Los Angeles-based club are trying to add the FIFA World Cup winner to the list of World Cup winners on their books. With only 12 months remaining in his contract, the Frenchman is available for as little as €10 million, thanks to a release clause in his contract. Such a small fee for a certified star like Griezmann is something LAFC would have no trouble shelling.
It looks likely that the Frenchman could play in the US as he once stated in an interview last November, “Could I go? I have a family, three children. It’s not an easy decision to make. The MLS is still my priority.” The club are also weighing up the option of landing the Frenchman on a free transfer next summer but face the risk of losing him out to other suitors.
🚨 Los Angeles FC want to sign Antoine Griezmann. 🇺🇸
The MLS franchise have made a proposal to the Frenchman that would make him the second highest paid player in the league behind Messi! 🤑
(Source: @lequipe) pic.twitter.com/0bvHkYwkKL
— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) July 26, 2024
LAFC seem a good option for Griezmann as heads towards the twilight of his career as he already has familiar faces at the club. His World Cup-winning teammates are already at the club with Hugo Lloris arriving in January and Olivier Giroud joining the club after his deal with AC Milan expired at the end of last season. Given the presence of his national teammates at the club, that adds to the lure of the club.
Griezmann has spent the majority of his career playing for Atletico Madrid and has etched his name in the history books of the club, becoming their all-time top scorer with 181 goals across two different spells. Ever since Lionel Messi’s move to the MLS, the league has become an attractive option for players once again, with a lot of Griezmann’s former Barcelona teammates also plying their trade in the league now.
The US is set to host the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup and Griezmann would be eyeing to make it to the national team’s squad for the tournament. If he’s already spent two years playing the game in the United States, that could get him a place on Didier Deschamps’ squad despite him being 36 when the tournament rolls around.
MLS side Los Angeles FC are trying to add another France International to their squad as they try to bring over the FIFA World Cup winner over to the USA. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
