Bacelona planning swoop for Manchester United transfer target to replace misfiring Luis Suarez
Could Barcelona beat United to his signature?
Barcelona are reportedly preparing to bring in a long-term replacement for the ageing and out-of-form Luis Suarez next summer in a move that could come at the expense of Manchester United.
Barca manager Ernesto Valverde has identified Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann as the man for the job when his release clause of £89million comes into effect, according to Diario Gol .
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With Suarez making a slow start to this season, Valverde is said to be aware that the Uruguayan may need replacing before too long, with Griezmann clearly an attractive option.
The Frenchman has been superb in his time with Atletico, scoring 86 goals in 170 games for the club from a variety of positions, including as a central striker or wide-forward.
Diario Gol claim Barcelona first looked at the 26-year-old this summer, but instead prioritised their move for Ousmane Dembele, who joined from Borussia Dortmund.
This could be bad news for Manchester United, who had been planning themselves to try a fresh bid for Griezmann next year, according to recent claims made by ESPN .
The Red Devils could do with someone to take the pressure off Romelu Lukaku on the scoring front, and have also been linked with other big names to bolster their attack.
The Sun list Tottenham star Harry Kane as one option, while El Confidencial have claimed a deal could be on for United to sign Gareth Bale from Real Madrid.
If Griezmann does end up staying in La Liga, it will surely revive rumours that United are after one of those two again.
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