Barça has finally signed Antoine Griezmann. The on-again, off-again operation for the transfer of the French star from Atlético Madrid has finally been completed - and not without controversy - with FC Barcelona ending up paying Griezmann's current buy-out clause of 120 million euros, in the absence of any amicable agreement between the two clubs on the deal. The 28 year-old Griezmann signs with the Catalan club for the next five seasons - effectively for the rest of his top-flight career - and his new buy-out price will be an astronomical 800 million euros.
Ahead of his official presentation to fans on Sunday, Camp Nou's newest star has published a video offering his first words as a blaugrana - referring to last year's frustrated attempt by Barça to sign the French forward. "When I was small my father taught me that trains don't just pass once", he says in the video, entitled "Life has second chances".
Griezmann affirms that "the time has come to accept the challenge of a new destiny". "At last, our paths come together. I will defend the Barça shirt with determination and commitment. It's our moment, this is our path", says the player who will join Leo Messi and Luis Suárez in the Barça attack.
The French star arrives a year after some at the Catalan club were left with egg on their faces due to a reality-style documentary that was made on the 2018 transfer saga. Now, some of the culer fanbase are opposed to the signing and question marks have been raised about whether the Barça galaxy has too many stars up front. But despite everything, on Friday the club confirmed the operation that had been rumoured for months.
Barça has paid Griezmann's clause of 120 million euros. However, Atlético de Madrid complain that they should receive 200 million euros, the figure which had been the Frenchman's buy-out price until July 1st, since the operation may have been decided before that date. So, off-field, the Griezmann soap opera is likely to continue. Nevertheless, Antoine Griezmann will be presented at Camp Nou this Sunday as a new member of the Barça squad, with the Catalan club's first team about to begin its preseason.
Mixed feelings aside, it is undeniable that the sporting quality of the former Atlético Madrid crac adds huge new appeal to the Barça line-up. Griezmann is a world champion, who led France to victory in the World Cup in Russia last year and who was third in the last edition of the FIFA Golden Ball, awarded for World Cup performances. A very short list of the best players in the world would have to include the French striker.
At the age of 28, though, Griezmann's list of trophies is still short given his talent and for that reason he has signed up for a club like Barça: to win more titles, to add to his Europa League, European Supercup, Spanish Supercup all with Atleti, and last year's World Cup with France.
Griezmann will be presented as a new Barça player on Sunday July 14th in the bottom section of the main grandstand at Camp Nou at 7pm. The reason for this unusual location is that the turf of Camp Nou is being replaced.
Griezmann is the third arrival at Can Barça in recent weeks after young Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong and Brazilian goalkeeper Neto, but the summer is still long. The future of Neymar is still unknown - the other long-running transfer saga involving FC Barcelona - but if the Brazilian returns, other important players such as Coutinho or Dembélé might find themselves surplus to requirements.