UNITED Griezmann could be creative spark for misfiring Reds
WATCHING a blunt Manchester United attack stutter against Liverpool, Huddersfield and Chelsea in successive Premier League away games, it is no surprise that the name Antoine Griezmann has increased in prominence.
The Atletico Madrid forward was widely expected to arrive at Old Trafford last summer, and but for a transfer ban and injury to Zlatan Ibrahimovic, it is likely he would be wearing the No.7 shirt against Newcastle when the domestic calendar resumes this weekend.
But on January 1, Jose Mourinho and Ed Woodward have the opportunity to try again. Atletico’s ban is lifted next month, and they will be able to register Diego Costa, already signed from Chelsea.
So should United try and take advantage?
United are crying out for an injection of creativity - a situation that has merely been highlighted by the injury to Paul Pogba and Henrikh Mlkhitaryan’s dip in form.
Mourinho’s unenviable record of one goal in eight away games against the top six needs improving, and a player of Griezmann’s calibre could be the man to help him do that.
Even when Pogba is back fit, which could be as early as this weekend, adding a true creative force would ease the burden.
The pair are great friends off the pitch, and Griezmann has said in the past he would love to play alongside his French international teammate at club level. He only increased the speculation by posting a video of him meeting and hugging Pogba in Paris this weekend looking like a child at Christmas.
United made Griezmann one of their primary targets last summer, meaning scouting and due diligence has already been completed, and the Frenchman’s release clause is reduced back to around £91m from January onwards – a figure United were happy to pay. Atletico are also looking increasingly unlikely to qualify for the Champions League knockout stages and are eight points adrift of La Liga leaders Barcelona.
It might be that club and player could be persuaded that the time is right for a move.
Meanwhile, the 2018 World Cup is set to complicate business next summer.
Should France have the campaign most believe they are capable of, Griezmann would have little to no pre-season with United even if they waited to do the deal at the end of the current season.
However, on the other side of the coin, both United and Mourinho have been reluctant to enter the January market as buyers – a window in which it is notoriously difficult to find top quality players at anything approaching a reasonable