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What’s the story?
Manchester City are on a mission to become the best in the world and they are to going to stop until they complete their mission. The Cityzens are known for spending big on players and that's exactly what they are going to do once again.
As per reports in Manchester Evening News, Pep Guardiola has asked the club to sign Antonie Griezmann. The French striker is now the #1 target for the club and the talks have already begun with the Atletico Madrid star as per reports in The Sun.
In case you didn’t know...
Manchester United had agreed a deal to sign Griezmann in the summer. But the striker decided to remain at Atletico after CAS upheld their transfer ban. It resulted in United signing Romelu Lukaku and Lacazette, who was supposed to join Atletico, moving to Arsenal.
Reports last week suggested that Barcelona were leading the race for Griezmann. Some claimed that the striker had already made up his mind and had agreed terms for a move to Camp Nou too.
The heart of the matter
Pep Guardiola is not happy with having just Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus in the squad and wants to add a third striker. The manager wants to play 2 up-front and believes that adding a 3rd choice striker who can challenge for the starting role will bring the best out of all of them.
Griezmann's new release clause stands at £170 million and any club that wants to sign him should activate it. The Premier League table toppers are willing to anything to bring him to Manchester next summer and reports suggest that they are finding a way to raise funds for it without breaching FFP rules.
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Author’s Take
It would be difficult to see Griezmann moving to Etihad. Though the project is exciting and more appealing than the ones at Barcelona and Manchester United right now, the striker has his heart set on the two clubs.
Moreover, his brother is a huge fan of Manchester United and he would ensure it himself that this transfer does not take place.
