Over the course of the 2021 transfer window, a host of names have been rumored with a move outside Barcelona, with perhaps the biggest controversy so far involving none other than Antoine Griezmann. The French World Cup Winner was reportedly mooted for a return to Atletico de Madrid in the form of a swap deal with Saul Niguez yet the deal didn’t materialise.
Despite Griezmann refusing to budge on his stance on moving only to a club within La Liga, recent reports by Spanish publication El Gol Digital say otherwise, claiming that the Barça number 7 might be on his way to England – Manchester United to be exact. The reported move is allegedly a possible swap deal with him heading one way, and United’s Swede center-back Victor Lindelof going the other way.
The Red Devils have shown interest in the Frenchman as they seek to bolster their forward line for the coming season as their own French forward, Anthony Martial, has been rather underwhelming for England’s most-decorated side, and his performances have pushed the Red Devils into searching for stronger names to play in their front lines.
Having already made the acquisition of Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund, the inclusion of Griezmann would be the final piece of the puzzle for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men.
Swede Lindelof, on the other hand, has struggled somewhat to find true stability in his four-year tenure at Manchester United despite having played 40 matches in the Premier League, Champions League and Europa League combined. While he has been a regular fixture in the side, the Swede has not truly been able to convince supporters of his mettle.
Lindelof stands to benefit from the deal as he otherwise would now find himself one step lower in the pecking order following the signing of Raphael Varane from Real Madrid. A move to Barcelona in the theoretical prime of his career, especially in a rather weak Blaugrana defence, could perhaps revitalize his career while improving Barça’s strength in depth.
Barça’s pursuit of defensive reinforcements, as well as their dire financial situation, is compelling them to settle for such moves as their options are understandably limited. The Catalan club has had struggles offloading the likes of Samuel Umtiti and Clement Lenglet and seek this as a possible way to not only bolster their backline while also alleviating their humongous wage bill.