According to Spanish outlet, Sport, Arsenal are interested in a move for France international, Antoine Griezmann.
We’ve been here before, haven’t we?
Indeed, Arsenal have been linked with Griezmann on numerous occasions in the past, and it’s fair to say that Arsene Wenger was an admirer of the player during his time at the club.
Indeed, Wenger tried to sign Griezmann a number of times as Arsenal boss, while he’s been on the record praising him during his time as a pundit on BeIN Sports.
What’s been said?
Wenger had good things to say about Griezmann after he joined Barca.
“He is a player who must play in the centre because he is very active, precise in his actions, can be dangerous with passes, and he scores goals,” Wenger said.
However, this love seemingly isn’t reciprocated by the player, Griezmann wrote in his autobiography a few years ago how he has a gripe with Arsenal due to a drawn-out transfer saga from 2013.
“Arsenal scout Gilles Grimandi told me in the summer of 2013 that Arsene Wenger was very interested, so I put all the other bids on hold. I waited, waited and I was on hold … even when no more news came in,” Greizmann wrote.
“Then after some phone calls with Grimandi, he was informed that Wenger was still interested in me and so I kept waiting. Finally, a few hours before the closing of the market, I knew that Arsenal would not move.
“I do not like to hear something say that does not happen, when Eric [Olhat’s Griezmann’s agent] told me later that the London club were interested again I told him: ‘Forget it, after the blow they gave us.’”
Where would he play?
Given his comments in his autobiography, a move to Arsenal may not be too likely for Griezmann, but if he did join, where would he play?
As Wenger says, Griezmann has to play down the middle, but it’s hard to imagine the Frenchman getting in this team ahead of either Gabriel Jesus or Martin Odegaard at the moment.
Yes, he could be a depth option, but would Arsenal really sign someone on mammoth wages and with this age profile just to leave him on the bench?
Wenger may be a fan of Griezmann and he is a fantastic player, but this doesn’t seem to be a deal that will be progressing anytime soon.
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