3 possible replacements for Antoine Griezmann at Atletico Madrid

Recently, Antoine Griezmann announced his decision to leave Atletico Madrid via a video on the official Twitter account of Atletico Madrid. While he did not mention the name of the club where he might go, it is clear that he won't be playing for the Madrid based club next season.

.@AntoGriezmann: "Han sido cinco años increíbles; muchas gracias por todo, os llevo en el corazón". pic.twitter.com/9XorY05u1T
— Atlético de Madrid (@Atleti) May 14, 2019

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The president of the club, Enrique Cerezo, confirmed that the decision made by Griezmann won't be overturned. Enrique Cerezo said as quoted by Goal:

"It is irreversible. The only thing I tell him is that he has a lot of luck where he goes. And, that at least they treat him as we have treated him here."

Antoine Griezmann is one of the few players who has the ability to change the course of a match on his own. It won't be easy for the club to replace a player of Griezmann's stature. So let us look at a few names who can replace the Frenchman.

#1 Sadio Mane

Sadio Mane has been brilliant for Liverpool throughout the season. The Senegalese International has been fantastic for the Reds since making a move to Anfield from Southampton in 2016. The winger who has scored 26 goals in all competitions still has four years remaining on his current Liverpool contract.

According to DailyStar, Real Madrid was asked to pay £173 million to sign the left winger. This asking price has forced Real Madrid in other directions. This price might be too high for Atletico but the club has got a lot of money from sales.

If they manage to sign Mane, they might be able to fill the void left by the departure of Griezmann. The Reds superstar is surely worth the money, as he can score goals from the wings. The fact that Mane would be the main man at the club might be appealing for the player.

#2 Paolo Dybala

Since the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo in Turin, Paolo Dybala has struggled for game time. The Juventus star might want to make a move to a club where he can get more opportunities. He would be a like for like replacement for Griezmann as the Argentine can now play in his preferred position.

The former Palermo man should not take a lot of time to settle in Atletico as he is used to playing a pragmatic brand of football. The 25-year-old is entering the peak of his career and he would surely want to play a big role in a big club instead of the bit-part role.

Atletico Madrid has performed well in recent years but they have not been able to win a lot of trophies. Someone with the ability and mentality of Paolo Dybala can be the X-factor which can lead the club to trophies and medals.

#3 Hakim Ziyech

Ajax was brilliant in the Champions League this season. Their performances caught the attention of football fans and critics all around the world. They also caught the attention of big European clubs who are lining up for signatures of the talented players in the squad.

One of those players is Hakim Ziyech of Morocco. The 26-year-old was on fire throughout the season as he looked unstoppable at times. The Moroccan International scored 21 times and assisted 24 times in his 49 appearances for the Dutch club this season.

A move for Ziyech makes sense as the forward can play in a role similar to Griezmann. Compared to other stars in the list, it might be relatively easier to sign him. Ajax's sporting director, Marc Overmars, admitted to Mirror that Ziyech will leave if a top club comes.

"That [a move] will come by itself. When that happens, everyone will automatically hear it. He leaves when a top club comes."

Edited by Anthony Akatugba Jr.