According to an exclusive from The Express, Chelsea are planning a £40million swoop for Manchester United target and Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann.
The France international scored 25 goals across all competitions during his debut season at Vincente Calderon and has started the current campaign equally brightly, bagging five goals and two assists in 11 La Liga appearances alongside two goals and one assist in the Champions League.
The 24-year-old has often been mooted as a transfer target of Manchester United, in no small part due to their requirement for added depth out wide and up front. Having earned his reputation as Real Sociedad’s talismanic wide-man before transforming into a centre-forward under Diego Simeone, Griezmann would kill two birds with one stone at Old Trafford.
But Chelsea appear to be edging ahead of their Premier League rivals in the race for the 5 foot 9 attacker’s signature. Reports from the end of last month claimed Blues owner Roman Abramovich had earmarked Griezmann as his priority target for summer 2016, and The Express now report that they’re preparing a £40million bid.
With his release clause believed to be either £47million or £56.5million, however, it seems unlikely the Mattress Makers will let their star player leave for less.