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What's the story?
Antoine Griezmann has reportedly decided to ignore Atletico Madrid's demand for him to return to training today, citing 'sadness and personal disappointment' about the way his transfer saga has unfolded recently as the primary reason behind the same.
In case you didn't know...
Atletico Madrid and Barcelona have been embroiled in a bitter feud after the former accused the Catalan giants of violating transfer rules by holding talks with Griezmann back in March.
The spat began after Atletico chief executive Miguel Angel Gil revealed that the Frenchman agreed to terms with the Spanish champions when his release clause was €200 million (£180 million). The forward's buy-out fee dropped €120 million (£107 million) at the start of July.
The World Cup winner's contract at the Madrid outfit runs till 2023 and, therefore, requires the club's agreement before any transfer discussions.
Los Rojiblancos have since released a statement slamming Barcelona for disrespecting them and their fans, and instructed Griezmann to be present for their pre-season training in compliance with his contractual obligations.
The heart of the matter
According to Marca, Griezmann has told Atletico Madrid that he would not be turning up for pre-season training with the squad, telling the club that he was saddened by the events that have unfolded in the last few days.
The report further claims that it was the club itself that asked the forward if he was going to leave so they can better plan their summer transfers. They also assured him of as much help as possible for smoothing the transfer process, reportedly telling him, "You are the history of Atlético".
The France international, who has scored 133 goals in 257 appearances for Atletico, expects the club to put aside their differences with Barcelona and reach an agreement in the days to come.
What's next?
It remains to be seen how Atletico will react to Griezmann's absence from pre-season training and whether it will contribute to a longer and more tedious transfer saga.
