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What's the story?
Antoine Griezmann has signed a five-year contract with Barcelona which includes a whopping €800 million release clause.
In case you missed it...
The Frenchman signed for Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2014, leaving Real Sociedad after coming through their ranks. Since his move to Madrid, Griezmann has transformed himself into one of the best forwards in the world, scoring 133 goals in 257 games for the Madrid club.
Under the tutelage of Diego Simeone, Griezmann managed to win the UEFA Europa League and the Spanish Super Cup.
Griezmann was a long-term target for Barca and they attempted to prise him away from the Spanish capital last year. But, the forward decided to extend his stay at Atleti, thereby snubbing the Catalan clubs advances.
Come this summer, Atletico Madrid released a statement on their official Twitter page, confirming that Griezmann will leave the club.
According to a purported clause in the 28-year-old's Atleti contract, his release clause dropped to €120 million after July 1, after an initial €200m clause was inserted during last year's extension.
The Catalan outfit played the waiting game until the 11th of this month to pay his release clause - with reports suggesting that Barcelona submitted the €120m fee at La Liga's offices yesterday to prise Antoine Griezmann away from Los Rojiblancos.
The heart of the matter...
Barcelona released an official club statement to announce the signing of Antoine Griezmann, reading as follows,
"FC Barcelona has paid the 120 million euro buyout clause to release Antoine Griezmann from Atlético Madrid."
"The player will sign a contract with his new club for the next five seasons, through to 30 June 2024, with a buyout clause of 800 million euros."
"We will shortly be publishing the full schedule for the presentation of Antoine Griezmann as a new member of the Barça first team."
What's next?
With personal terms and a transfer fee being settled, Antoine Griezmann will be unveiled as a Barcelona player shortly.
