Antoine Griezmann is wanted by all the top clubs across Europe with Manchester United and Chelsea most interested in securing the talented Frenchman’s signature. Now, the Atletico Madrid forward has taken his future into his own hands by splitting with his agent.
The Frenchman reportedly had a number of offers from Premier League sides and French champions Paris Saint-Germain in the summer, but he decided to stay put at Atletico Madrid. With a release clause of just €100million, Premier League clubs see it as an excellent investment for a proven world class star.
Manchester United and Chelsea are expected to come back with offers in the next window and now offers will go directly to the French forward.
"From now I'm going to operate without an agent," he told French sports daily L'Equipe.
"But I will always have the advice of my father and also my mentor, Eric Olhats."
Eric Olhats is the man credited with discovering the talent of Antoine Griezmaan even though he did it accidentally. The Real Sociedad scout was on a flight back from Spain to Argentina when he stopped over at Paris.
Some of Olhats’ friends convinced him to move to take a pop at a French youth tournament where he discovered the talent of Antoine Griezmann. Griezmaan who was struggling to get a contract with a French club was finally convinced to move t o San Sebastian by Eric Olhats.
"I no longer believed [he would make it as a professional] when he was spotted by Eric," his father Alain told L'Equipe magazine earlier this year. "I was sceptical at the time, but Eric convinced us to let him go to San Sebastian."
Antoine Griezmann is bound to become the best player in the world says Simeone
Atletico Madrid have not had the best start to this season but the Argentine was keen to remind his star player Griezmann that he was at a great club, “[Griezmann] knows he is at a wonderful club which is growing every day and a coach who wants him," added Simeone. "He is destined to be up there with [Lionel] Messi, [Cristiano] Ronaldo, and the best in the world."
Griezmann staying at Atletico Madrid this summer was largely credited to Diego Simeone and with rumours about El Cholo being unsettled at Atletico Madrid, we might just see their star player Antoine Griezmann depart along with Simeone next summer.
