Football

Griezmann will be allowed to leave, says Simeone

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone insists the La Liga giant will let star forward Antoine Griezmann leave at some stage.

Dejan Kalinic
15 December, 2017 09:39 IST

Antoine Griezmann was popularly linked with a move to Old Trafford until he signed a one-year contract extension with Atletico Madrid in June 2017.   -  Getty Images

Dejan Kalinic
15 December, 2017 09:39 IST

Antoine Griezmann will be allowed to leave Atletico Madrid "at some point", according to coach Diego Simeone. Griezmann, 26, has been linked with an Atletico exit, with Manchester United among the clubs reported to be interested.

But the France international is contracted until mid-2022 at Atletico, the club he joined from Real Sociedad in 2014.

However, Simeone said Griezmann would be free to leave the La Liga giant, just as Diego Costa and Arda Turan once were.

Read: 'Several clubs' discussing Arda move as Barca exit nears

"I love my players a lot and I love to see them grow. I am not ungrateful," he told L'Equipe.

"If a player comes to me and says, 'Coach, I have a once in a lifetime chance to play for a certain team, I want to leave'. If he did all he could for me as Griezmann does, I'll say it's no problem. I know that he needs to grow.

"Of course Griezmann will be able to leave at some point, the same way Costa and Arda Turan were allowed to leave."

Griezmann has scored seven goals in 18 matches in all competitions this campaign, having netted at least 25 times in each of the past three seasons.