Atletico Madrid have publicly denounced the behaviour of both Antoine Griezmann and Barcelona, while saying they have turned down a request from the Catalan outfit to be allowed to sign the France international now but pay for him later.
At the end of last season, Griezmann, 28, informed Atletico that he was leaving and Barca were expected to immediately trigger the clause when it dropped from €200 million to €120 million on July 1.
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However, nobody has yet visited the La Liga offices to deposit the money, and blaugrana president Josep Maria Bartomeu said at a news conference on Friday afternoon that "first contact" over the transfer took place on Thursday when Barca director Oscar Grau met with Atletico chief executive Miguel Angel Gil.
Soon after Bartomeu had finished speaking, Atletico responded with a lengthy and angry club statement which denounced the behaviour of both Barcelona and a player who remains under contract at the Wanda Metropolitano, and added that the request for "deferred payment" of the €120m release clause showed "disrespect."
"On May 14, Antoine Griezmann informed Miguel Angel Gil, Diego Pablo Simeone and Andrea Berta of his decision to leave our club at the end of the season," the statement said. "In the days that followed that meeting, Atletico Madrid learned that FC Barcelona and the player had reached an agreement in March, specifically in the days following the return match of our Champions League tie against Juventus, and that they had been negotiating the terms of the agreement since mid-February.
At the end of last season, Griezmann, 28, informed Atletico that he was leaving and Barca were expected to immediately trigger the clause when it dropped from €200 million to €120 million on July 1.
- When does the transfer window close?
- Bartomeu: Neymar wants to leave but PSG won't sell
- Atletico pay €126 million to sign 'New Ronaldo' Felix
However, nobody has yet visited the La Liga offices to deposit the money, and blaugrana president Josep Maria Bartomeu said at a news conference on Friday afternoon that "first contact" over the transfer took place on Thursday when Barca director Oscar Grau met with Atletico chief executive Miguel Angel Gil.
Soon after Bartomeu had finished speaking, Atletico responded with a lengthy and angry club statement which denounced the behaviour of both Barcelona and a player who remains under contract at the Wanda Metropolitano, and added that the request for "deferred payment" of the €120m release clause showed "disrespect."
"On May 14, Antoine Griezmann informed Miguel Angel Gil, Diego Pablo Simeone and Andrea Berta of his decision to leave our club at the end of the season," the statement said. "In the days that followed that meeting, Atletico Madrid learned that FC Barcelona and the player had reached an agreement in March, specifically in the days following the return match of our Champions League tie against Juventus, and that they had been negotiating the terms of the agreement since mid-February.
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