4 biggest winners from Antoine Griezmann's transfer to Barcelona 

#2 Atletico Madrid

Atletico Madrid would have lost a lot if Griezmann did not move

It is hard to make a case for Atletico Madrid profiting from Griezmann's transfer, as they have lost their most consistent performer over the last five years which makes their rebuilding plans all the more difficult.

However, a deeper incursion into the circumstances surrounding his move reveals that Atletico had much more to lose than gain had Griezmann not been sold.

For starters, they have already expended huge sums in the ongoing transfer market, with the bulk of that going for the purchase of Joao Felix for the record-breaking sum of €126m.

This transfer was made with the premise that Griezmann's move to Barcelona was a done deal and there would have been more than a few waves of panic in the Atleti board room following the delays in the transfer, as a failure to conclude business would have incurred a massive financial loss for the club.

Moreover, the World Cup winner's body, mind, and soul had been set on a move to Barcelona, with new reports indicating he had agreed personal terms with the Catalans as far back as March while he had also gone public with his decision to leave the Wanda Metropolitano.

There was the danger of the situation spiraling out of control, as Griezmann failed to turn up for preseason, with the club threatening to fine him for his misdemeanors.

Had Griezmann's move to Barcelona failed, Atletico Madrid would have been stuck with a player who doesn't want to be with them, while also having a huge financial deficit following their expenses and the potential of an FFP breach and this is hardly the scenario Simeone would have wanted to begin next season in.

No matter how difficult his departure might seem from a sporting perspective, the negative ramifications had the move not gone through would have been too harrowing for Atletico to bear and as such, it was in their best interest that Griezmann departed.