Manchester United 'launch a £52.5m bid for Antoine Griezmann'

Manchester United have reportedly made a €60m (£52.5m) bid for Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann.

The Red Devils are widely expected to sign a new forward during the January transfer window, having terminated Cristiano Ronaldo's contract at the end of November.

Griezmann has long been linked with a move to Old Trafford, with the 20-time English champions thought to have considered signing him during his time at Real Sociedad.

The 31-year-old was in excellent form for France at the 2022 World Cup, providing three assists in seven appearances, as the Blues reached the final before losing to Argentina on penalties.

Atletico only re-signed Griezmann on a permanent basis from Barcelona in October, with the Frenchman's contract due to run until June 2026.

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However, there has been speculation surrounding his future in recent weeks, with Atletico's failure to qualify for the knockout round of the Champions League causing financial problems.

According to Fichajes, the Red Devils view the Frenchman as the ideal replacement for Ronaldo and have now placed an offer of €60m (£52.5m) on the table with the view to potentially signing him in January.

The report claims that, as it stands, Diego Simeone's side are not intending to let him leave, but the club could be tempted if Man United raise their offer.

Griezmann has made 21 appearances for Atletico during the 2022-23 campaign, scoring six goals and registering five assists in the process.

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The forward started his professional career at Real Sociedad, representing the Basque outfit between 2009 and 2014 before a move to Atletico, where he spent five years during his first spell.

Griezmann was a Barcelona player between 2019 and 2022, but he largely found it difficult to make his mark at Camp Nou, re-joining the Red and Whites on loan before securing a permanent return.

During his two spells at Atletico, he has scored 147 goals and registered 62 assists in 314 appearances, winning the Spanish Super Cup, Europa League and UEFA Super Cup, in addition to reaching the Champions League final.

As well as a striker, Man United could move for a new right-back during the January transfer window, with Aaron Wan-Bissaka widely expected to depart before the end of the market.