Antoine Griezmann was promised a better season at Barcelona in the upcoming campaign but with Lionel Messi staying at Camp Nou, the plan reportedly laid out by Ronald Koeman is likely disrupted. To accommodate the Argentine superstar, the new Barca boss could be forced to set Griezmann aside and let him go eventually.
Messi's decision to see out the remainder of his contract is seen to force the hand of Koeman to readjust in favor of the team captain and the Barca squad young players. The manager will need to trim down his lineup and release a few of his big stars.
One name that could be on his way out is Griezmann, who was previously told that he is set to wear Messi's shirt had the latter was allowed to leave. But with the skipper staying put, it seemed that Koeman will be forced to backtrack and explore other options for the Frenchman, and one of them is to sell the player.
Such a scenario prompted Premier League clubs to monitor the situation in the hopes of signing Griezmann. According to The Daily Mail, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester United are keen on bringing the World Cup winner to England and are on high alert to sign him if the opportunity arises.
The 29-year-old forward will enter a new season where he will have to compete for playing minutes. Per the same report, Koeman's priority will be Messi and Barcelona's rising stars like Ansu Fati and Ousmane Dembele so the likelihood of Griezmann struggling anew seemed high.
So it would appear that the best option for the attacker is to bring his game elsewhere and England looks promising. Add to that, his sale will provide the cash for Koeman to beef up on Barcelona's defense, which should convince all parties that Griezmann's departure will be beneficial.
The Sun reported that if Griezmann is made available on the market, United will likely express a keen interest. The side of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been pursuing Jadon Sancho in the transfer market and could consider the Frenchman as a more affordable alternative.
Liverpool too could join the race as Griezmann's pressing style is suited with Jurgen Klopp's game. The Reds manager has been largely quiet in the summer transfer window but the lure of a quality player with a possible significant discount could prompt him to consider a move.
Arsenal's Mikel Arteta might be interested as well. The Gunners could see the exit of Alexandre Lacazette this summer and Griezmann is certainly a suitable replacement plus a perfect partner for the club's marksman Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
The Frenchman's rumored exit from Camp Nou will complete an overhaul of the Barcelona roster with stars like Ivan Rakitic and Luis Suarez already out, having signed with Sevilla and Juventus respectively. Philippe Coutinho could follow suit soon as the Brazilian is expected to move away for a return to the Premier League next season.
