Barcelona are confident they will beat Manchester United to the signing of Antoine Griezmann, according to reports in Spain.
Two heavyweights are the frontrunners in the battle to sign the Frenchman at the end of the season.
And Cadena Ser report that the Catalans will meet the striker’s £86million buy-out clause — and offer him more lucrative terms than United.
Barcelona have just completed a club-record £145m deal to sign Philippe Coutinho from Liverpool, but they are once again preparing a huge outlay.
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They will offer Griezmann a five-year contract and would make him their joint-second highest-paid player after Lionel Messi.
He would receive £425,000-a-week — the same as Luis Suarez.
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United came close to signing Griezmann last summer, but the deal fell through when the Frenchman decided to stay after Fifa upheld Atletico Madrid’s transfer ban.
However, his poor start to the 2017-18 campaign has seen their interest waiver a little, and they would be unwilling to match the incredible figures on offer at the Nou Camp.
The Rojiblancos are desperate to keep hold of their No 7 as they believe a strike force of Griezmann and Diego Costa could lead the club to glory.
And the article even claims Atletico would go as far as trying to match Barcelona’s offer.