Transfer Centre

Josep Maria Bartomeu: 'Barcelona have never spoken to Antoine Griezmann'

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 17 June 2019

Bartomeu: 'Barca have never spoken to Griezmann'

Barcelona "have never spoken to" Atletico Madrid striker Antoine Griezmann, according to the Catalan giants' president Josep Maria Bartomeu.

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has cooled talk of Antoine Griezmann joining the club by insisting that talks have yet to be held with the Atletico Madrid striker.

The France international announced last month that he intends to leave the Wanda Metropolitano this summer after five years at the club.

Speaking last week, Atletico chief Miguel Angel Gil Marin revealed that Griezmann will join Barcelona in the coming weeks, 12 months after rejecting a move at the last minute.

A transfer does not appear to be close to completion, however, as Barcelona have yet to reach out to the 28-year-old.

"We've always said it, we've never spoken to him, there's nothing," Bartomeu told RAC1. "We're already seeing how the market is growing these days and weeks.

"We're going through a slow and secure process. We have all of June, July and August. We're in talks [with other players] and carrying out a strategy.

"We're also looking at Barcelona B - some players have the possibility to move up into the senior team this year. There will be departures and some arrivals."

Real Madrid and Manchester United have been tipped to make an approach for Griezmann.