Miami (AFP) – France’s World Cup-winning striker Antoine Griezmann is to hold talks with Major League Soccer’s Orlando City, having been permitted by his present side Atletico Madrid to go to the US during the international break, a source close to the player told AFP.
Should both parties agree a deal, the 35-year-old would move to Orlando this summer after seeing out the present campaign with the La Liga outfit. Griezmann “has been authorised by his club to travel to Orlando during his days off in order to make progress in the discussions linked to his future,” said the source on Monday.
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A move to the MLS has been rumoured for years, with the 2018 World Cup winner known to be an admirer of other American sports leagues such as the NBA and NFL. Atletico had shut the door on their all-time record goalscorer — he has scored 211 goals over two spells — moving this season with the MLS transfer window opening on March 26.
Griezmann, who also played in the 2022 World Cup final defeat by Argentina, retired from the French national side in 2024 having made 137 appearances, scoring 44 goals. Griezmann signed an extension last year to his present contract, taking him up to June 2027, but is no longer an automatic first choice for Atletico.
Despite falling down the pecking order, he has scored 13 times this season and can entertain hopes of ending his time with Atletico with one last hurrah. They play Real Sociedad, the club he began his professional career with, in the final of the Copa del Rey on April 18, just after facing Barcelona in their two-legged Champions League quarter-final.
Griezmann inspired Atletico in his first spell to 2018 Europa League glory, but missed out on the biggest prizes, losing in the 2016 Champions League final and finishing runners-up in the title race in 2018 and 2019. Orlando are badly in need of a cutting edge up front as in the present MLS campaign they have won just one of their five matches, losing the other four.
© 2024 AFP
