Atletico Madrid

Atletico Madrid are protesting superstar striker Antoine Griezmann's transfer to Barcelona on the grounds of insufficient payment.

According to Robbie Dunne of AS, Atletico Madrid released the following statement on the matter:

"The amount deposited is insufficient to pay his release clause because it's obvious that the agreement between the club and Barcelona was done before his fee dropped from €200 to €120 million.

"Atletico Madrid understand that the contract was broken before the end of last season, on the basis of the facts, actions and statements of the player and the club has therefore started the proceedings it considers opportune to defend its legitimate rights and interests.

"Atletico are disgusted by the behavior of Barcelona and the player and particularly Barcelona, for inducing a player to break their contractual relationship with Atletico Madrid at a time in the season when the club was playing, not just a Champions League tie against Juventus, but also the League title against Barcelona itself."

Barcelona introduced Griezmann as the club's newest player Friday, but Atletico believe that the transfer agreement was completed before July 1, which is the date that saw Griezmann's buyout clause drop from €200 to €120 million.

Griezmann's lawyers reportedly deposited €120 million into La Liga's headquarters Friday.

Things have been contentious between Atletico and Barcelona throughout Griezmann's transfer saga because of accusations that Barca tampered with the French forward.

Per Gulf News, Barcelona President Josep Maria Bartomeu said the club did not begin speaking to Griezmann until July, but Atletico have disputed that, saying that Griezmann and Barcelona began speaking in February and agreed to a contract in March despite that fact that Atletico were in the midst of UEFA Champions League and La Liga title pursuits.

Griezmann joined Atletico Madrid in 2014 after five seasons with Real Sociedad. It was with Atletico that he blossomed into one of the best attacking players in the world.

The 28-year-old scored at least 21 goals across all competitions in each of his five campaigns with Atletico, including a career-high 32 in 2015-16. Griezmann also has 29 goals in 72 appearances for France, and he helped them to a World Cup victory in 2018.

As a member of Barcelona, Griezmann will join forces with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez and look to form one of the most dangerous attacking trios in the sport.

Joao Felix's value could be "doubled or tripled" within a year, according to his new Atletico Madrid team-mate Felipe Monteiro. 

Both players have moved to the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium from Portugal this summer. Centre-back Felipe signed from Porto for €20 million (£18 million), while Atleti smashed their transfer record to snap up Felix from Benfica for €126 million (£113 million).

One of the most expensive signings ever.

19 years old. pic.twitter.com/k3Jmw6NyyB

— B/R Football (@brfootball) July 3, 2019

Given the 19-year-old has only played one season of senior football, the Madrid outfit have taken a risk paying such a huge fee.

He netted 15 goals and provided seven assists in 26 league appearances last term and helped Benfica win the Primeira Liga title.

But Felix is still largely untested at the highest level.

Felipe, though, who played against Felix in the Portuguese league last term, believes the teenager is worth the money, per Marca (h/t Football Espana):

"We have to be calm but Joao Felix, probably, in a year's time will see his value doubled or tripled. He's a great player. In Portugal people knew he was very advanced for his age. He is very intelligent and fast, I know his running moments very well, and he is now on my team.

"In Portugal he was my rival, and I had to fight against him. It was difficult because he has a lot of quality, he is a child that still has a lot to grow and he will give many joys to the Atletico fans."

Felix has ostensibly been signed to replace Antoine Griezmann, who finally sealed his move to Barcelona on Friday:

Barcelona, you have one new MSG 📱 https://t.co/AseYM68YcU

— B/R Football (@brfootball) July 12, 2019

The Portugal international cannot be expected to immediately produce the kind of numbers Griezmann has consistently returned over the past few seasons:

Antoine Griezmann has scored 20+ goals across every competition in every season he has been at Atlético Madrid:

2014/15: 25 ⚽
2015/16: 32 ⚽
2016/17: 26 ⚽
2017/18: 29 ⚽
2018/19: 21 ⚽

A hard but not impossible transfer. pic.twitter.com/6Rv6fppnMO

— Squawka (@Squawka) June 7, 2019

He does, though, have many of the attributes that made Griezmann such a huge asset for Atleti manager Diego Simeone.

Felix has thrived as a goalscoring striker, but he can also contribute from the flanks as a creator.

He is not guaranteed to succeed at Atleti and may take some time to adjust to La Liga. But if Felix makes good on his potential, Felipe could well be right about his value increasing.

Real Madrid generated a lot of noise by dropping more than €300 million in buying five new players early in the summer transfer window, including marquee signing Eden Hazard.

Less notice has been paid to city rivals Atletico Madrid's business in the market, even though it has been on a par. Already, Atletico have waded through more than half a billion euros in transfer fees when you consider players coming in and going out.

Gone out the door are players like Lucas Hernandez (€80 million, Bayern Munich), Rodri (€70 million, Manchester City) and, of course, the sale of Antoine Griezmann to Barcelona for a fee around his €120 million release clause is reportedly imminent.

In their place have arrived the likes of Marcos Llorente (€40 million, Real Madrid), Felipe (€20 million, Porto), Renan Lodi (€20 million, Athletico Paranaense) and the 19-year-old Joao Felix from Benfica for €127 million—the fourth-largest transfer in the history of football.  

For years, Atletico—who failed to win a Madrid derby from 1999 until 2013—laboured in the shadow of their Galactico-buying neighbours. Nearly every summer, Atletico had to offload their best players, including Sergio Aguero (2011), Radamel Falcao (2013) and Diego Costa (2014). Those days are no more. For example, from 2014 until 2018, Atletico spent €164 million more than Real Madrid in transfers.

Atletico's manager Diego Simeone—who reportedly earns €41 million a season—is said to be the best-paid football manager in the world. There's something hollow now about the idea that underpins Cholismo, the cult of the hungry underdog that has grown up around Simeone and the Atletico teams he has marshalled since taking over at the club in December 2011.

"Cholismo is a marketing concept—the idea that Atleti are a poor team: 'We're the team of the working-class people. We can't keep our big stars,' which is what happened with Rodri [who Manchester City bought by paying his release clause]," says Alfredo Relano, a columnist with Diario AS.

"But Atleti have also been making big signings, spending more than Real Madrid in recent history. The club could afford to pay Griezmann more last season than Cristiano Ronaldo earned in his final season at Real Madrid. Atletico is now one of the 10 richest clubs in Europe. They have to end this discourse of theirs.

"They have to justify their new, exalted position by playing more artistic football. Under Simeone, they used to have a team of fighters, who played very solidly in defence, who were difficult to break down. They weren't interested in playing creative football.

"The public now is expecting after the players that Atletico has signed—like Thomas Lemar and Joao Felix—that the team plays better, attacks more, plays less industrial football. It's logical. To change, though, will be difficult, but this notion that they are an impoverished team is indefensible." 

Simeone's team are at an interesting juncture. Inako Diaz-Guerra, a journalist with El Mundo, believes, however, that it is unfair to expect Simeone to radically alter his football philosophy, to discard his defensive style.

After all, he points out, the public has never compelled Pep Guardiola to convert his football faith to, say, a counter-attacking style. It would be whimsical to do so. The replacement of Rodri for the more physical, workmanlike Marcos Llorente is an interesting case in point. It suggests Simeone is reverting to type.

"Rodri is a better footballer than Llorente, but Llorente is a better footballer for Simeone's purposes," says Diaz-Guerra. "Rodri is a type of midfielder that doesn't suit Simeone anymore—a midfielder who plays very horizontally, who doesn't lose possession, who physically isn't big.

"He will suit Guardiola well. He's fantastic at taking up the right position with the ball, but when he was at Atletico, there was an obvious clash. He didn't fit. Llorente is a player with less natural talent, but he's better in physical aspects. He is stronger than Rodri. You can see that Atleti is trying to recuperate some of its traditional muscular essence. 

"Simeone and Guardiola have their different styles. You could ask them to evolve, to change elements, but you couldn't really ask them to change themselves. They're wedded to their philosophies. Atletico will never play possession-based football, and attack in a classical style, because their trainer doesn't believe in this way to interpret football.

"In the same way, Guardiola will never play counter-attacking football. Nobody ever asks Guardiola to do so, but it seems like when it comes to Simeone, there's some kind of campaign: 'Hey, change your style.' Simeone won't change. It's like asking a rock musician to play jazz." 

One of Atletico's challenges for next season will be in trying to absorb the likely loss of four key defenders: Lucas, ex-captain Diego Godin, Juanfran and, it seems, Filipe Luis, whose contract expired at the end of the season.

The latter three are all well into their 30s, so there is an inevitability about their departures. The defection of Lucas to the Bundesliga is a bitterer pill to swallow for Atleti fans.

"The loss of Lucas is irritating because he's young and he could have been the basis of their defence for years to come," says Relano. "Godin and Filipe are at the end of their careers. It's a good moment for them to leave. My impression is that within the club they would like to have avoided the departure of Lucas if possible."

Simeone has always had more success in assimilating defenders into his system than attackers, which augurs well for his new defensive recruits, Felipe and Renan Lodi.

When Miranda left for Inter Milan in 2015, for example, Jose Maria Gimenez stepped into his shoes without any fuss.

"It's harder to replace Griezmann than it is Lucas or Godin," says Diaz-Guerra.

Hector Herrera, who was picked up as a free agent from Porto, is perfect for Simeone—a feisty midfield warrior. 

"Hector Herrera is a typical Simeone profile player," says Diaz-Guerra. "After a few years trying to buy stars, Atletico found out that they haven't renewed this type of player—a middle-class footballer like, say, Raul Garcia or Gabi, players who made the team very competitive, less talented than a Joao Felix, Lemar or Griezmann, but players who are hard, competitive and extremely reliable.

"He's perfect for Simeone's squad. I don't know how many games he will play because Atletico have Saul, Koke and Llorente in midfield, but he's a joker in the pack. The kind of player Simeone was missing last season."

Costa has always been Atletico's greatest joker during the Simeone era, something that fans were reminded of when a short, comical video of him "air fishing" was released during the first few days of Atletico's pre-season training by his team-mate Stefan Savic. Costa—back from his summer vacation in Brazil—is looking lean.

"Diego Costa has arrived, apparently, in very good physical condition for preseason training," says Fran Guillen, author of Diego Costa: The Art of War.

"It's strange because this had always been one of his weaknesses: his holidays in Brazil and his mother's cooking, which used to cause Diego to arrive back overweight. Maybe he won't repeat his goalscoring feats of the 2013-2014 season, when he scored 27 league goals to help Atletico win the title, but I still think he is a very important striker for Atleti, and I think this season he will improve a lot from last season."

When it comes to firepower, Atleti will also be looking to Felix. A lot of expectation will rest on his young, slim shoulders.

"His qualities are excellent," says Relano. "A lot of coaches are saying that Joao Felix and Mbappe will be the world's best footballers in the near future. What I've seen so far is very impressive, but I've the same doubts that everyone has—he's very young. He's only played a single season in the first division. The club has paid a lot of money for him. It's a heavy burden he'll have to carry with him."

Atletico have taken a calculated risk with him. It's the only way the club can hope to compete against their great rivals in Spain—Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Diaz-Guerra draws a comparison with the bold move the club made to buy Sergio Aguero from Independiente for €23 million in May 2006 when he was only a 17-year-old. And look at the player Aguero became.

Joao Felix or young Sergio Aguero? 🧐 pic.twitter.com/fQNuiETldI

— B/R Football (@brfootball) July 8, 2019

"The arrival of Joao Felix brings a smile to Atletico fans' faces, obviously," says Diaz-Guerra. "The only way for Atleti to get a world-class player is to sign him just before he matures, like they did with Griezmann and Aguero."

The case of Joao Felix is notable because they are signing him for a price that is completely exorbitant. It was the same manoeuvre Atletico made with Aguero. To grow, Atleti have to take these risks and, of course, it's a big risk. Atleti make this kind of move about every five years. It's not like with Barca or Real Madrid—that if they fail with one player, next year they can try with another one."

It's captured the imagination of the football world. Atletico's future is in the balance. With so many changes in the squad, it suggests they face a season in transition. Or if Felix catches fire, who knows?

"Every time Simeone has tried to tweak his way of playing, the team has lost its way," says Guillen. "I think Simeone is closer to a back-to-basics style with the new players he has signed and his team will be mentally fresher and excited [with this squad overhaul].

"Without the signing of Joao Felix, perhaps the view that the club was facing a year of transition could have made sense, but after that huge investment, the goal of Atletico must be to compete again—to make life difficult for Real Madrid and Barcelona."

Download the B/R Football Ranks Podcast. Subscribe here. New episodes every Friday. 

Follow Richard on Twitter: @Richard_Fitz.

It's not hard to find a TV tuned to Portuguese cable channel CMTV around Lisbon. Despite being criticised for its sometimes sensationalist approach, the controversial station has an impressive audience share and has led the ratings for 30 consecutive months.

If you found yourself watching in recent weeks, you will have learned plenty of banal facts about the channel's biggest recent obsession, Joao Felix—Portuguese football's newest sensation who has just joined Atletico Madrid from Benfica for an eye-popping €126 million.

From lunch bills to nightclub arrivals, the channel has been reporting on it all. It even spent several minutes discussing Felix's favourite types of pizza.

The minutiae of his life have been replicated in Correio da Manha, the most read tabloid in the country, which recently featured Felix on its cover for eight consecutive days.

João Félix está há oito dias consecutivos na capa do CM.
Faz-me lembrar o slogan autárquico de Olímpio Galvão em Montemor-o-Novo: "Chiça, porra que é demais" pic.twitter.com/ehdT7tgnlp

— Ruben Martins (@rubenlmartins) June 24, 2019

Even Porto Canal, a TV channel strongly linked to rival club FC Porto, had one of its shows dedicate a significant amount of time to discussing the forward's future.

On Monday, as Felix was finally unveiled as an Atletico Madrid player, no fewer than six channels (CMTV, RTP, SIC, TVI, Sport TV, A Bola TV) broadcast the presentation live.

It all seems a bit out of control—especially when you consider that Felix only became a regular at Benfica at the start of 2019 (he started just five games in 2018) before finishing the season with 20 goals and 11 assists in 43 appearances.

Although far from being a finished product, Felix can expect the hype to ramp up even more after he became one of the most expensive players of all time.

His €126 million move smashes the €112 million fee Juventus paid for Cristiano Ronaldo, allowing Felix to overtake his idol as the most expensive Portuguese player of all time.

Felix mania is in full swing in Portugal and really started bubbling when the Portuguese league title moved towards its conclusion in late April.

Back then a growing number of Benfica fans could be seen heading to the Estadio da Luz wearing a sweatshirt that read, "Tou Felix e tu?" (including a wordplay switching "feliz" with "Felix" to ask, "I'm happy, and you?").

The hype escalated to such a point that, when Ronaldo reported for Portuguese national team duty for the recent UEFA Nations League finals, one of the headlines was, "Ronaldo junta-se a Felix" (meaning "Ronaldo joins Felix"). You heard it right: Felix, not the rest of the team.

Now, thanks to his price tag, Felix has found himself in the same spotlight as the world's biggest names, and not just in Portugal.

The 19-year-old will no longer be treated as a boy with braces, someone who felt the need to take a break from his vacation to publicly deny he had gotten a tattoo.

He's now big news, and he'll feel incredible pressure on his pint-sized shoulders to deliver in Madrid.

He's the face of the post-Antoine Griezmann era at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium after the Frenchman announced he will leave Atletico this summer.

A generational talent, ridiculously gifted and remarkably strong for a teenager of slim build, Felix has been talked about as Portugal's player of the next decade.

But whether he can live up to these expectations and fill the shoes of Griezmann, who is set to move to Barcelona, will largely depend on how he performs on the pitch and his ability to fit in.

As former Benfica scouting director Jose Boto warns in an interview with Bleacher Report, it would be naive to expect this process to go entirely smoothly, even if Boto is still backing the youngster to be a success.

"I believe he'll know how to handle the pressure, even though I have no doubt he'll face a lot of it," says Boto, who advised the signing of Luka Jovic, Axel Witsel and other famous starlets throughout his 11 years at Benfica and now holds a similar position at Shakhtar Donetsk.

"However, for everything that does not work at Atletico, Felix's cost will be blamed. The centre-backs make a mistake? Felix's fault. The pitch is not in good condition? Felix's fault too.

"But I think he and the club are prepared with strategies to deal with these situations.

"No matter how much talk there is about it, no team moves forward with signings of this scale without going through a huge reflection process and anticipating several scenarios."

One of the most respected midfielders in Europe in the early 2000s, Maniche is among the footballers who have played for both Benfica and Atletico.

Felix may have signed a seven-year contract with Atletico, but the former Portugal international says that a fast start will go a long way towards making everyone more relaxed about the fee.

"It's not Felix's fault that he moved for so much money. Every player would like to play for Atletico, regardless of the numbers involved," he tells B/R.

"He's a kid with an enormous talent. If everything goes well, he scores in the first, second or maybe third game and they win, everyone will obviously forget about his transfer fee. This is a very ephemeral game–it takes a ball into the net to change it all. However, if he fails to deliver, people will come down on him hard, diminishing him.

"But then again, it would be highly unfair. After all, this a collective sport."

Maniche recalls an episode from his time at Atletico to give a glimpse of the sort of situation that awaits Felix.

"It's no secret Spaniards are a bit nationalist. I remember that when I was there, sometimes I had a superb performance, but even so the best ratings in the next morning's newspapers would go to the Spanish players. It's part of the game," he says, laughing.

"Felix needs to be mindful that pressure will come from everywhere. He'll possibly earn more than some of his team-mates. He has to be mentally prepared for what is expected of him.

"Atletico have always been a very demanding club—their fans defend them to the death. When they were relegated to the Spanish second tier, for example, their stadium was absolutely packed. It's a great team."

Portuguese players, especially ex-Benfica stars, have not had a great track record at Atletico, with their previous experiences recently highlighted in the Portuguese media as an indication that the striker could have chosen better.

Among these voices against the La Liga club is former Benfica vice-president Rui Gomes da Silva.

"Perhaps speaking to Joao Vieira Pinto, Simao Sabrosa, [Eduardo] Salvio and [Nico] Gaitan could have helped a lot [on his decision]," Gomes da Silva wrote.

One of the brightest stars in Portugal's FIFA U20 World Cup trophies in 1989 and 1991, Pinto might have had a few things to say about Atletico.

Pinto's starring role in the first of those U20 triumphs earned him a move to Atletico, but he ended up traumatized for life. He had such an awful time with the Colchoneros that he refused to play for any other foreign side in his career.

Building a name in domestic football didn't stop Pinto from becoming a legend, although it naturally prevented him from showcasing his talent worldwide.

Since making his senior debut against Boavista in August, Felix seemed destined to move to a bigger league, even though the consensus back home is that he should have spent at least one more season with Benfica.

"Joao Felix would do well to stay in Portugal for another year," national team boss Fernando Santos suggested in a lunch with local media in June.

"It's not an issue of preferring to move or not. He's 19, he's already playing for a big club, he'll be in the Champions League, in a phase when he's developing. I think it's better [for him]—things can change overnight.

"I'm not only referring to Joao. Look at what happened to Renato [Sanches]. A big upheaval affects anybody, and not everybody can overcome it. Getting back to the top is extremely tough."

Despite being compared to Ronaldo, the fear is that Felix ends up becoming another Renato Sanches.

Like Felix, Sanches is a product of Benfica's famed Seixal academy. A prodigiously talented midfielder, he was a joy to watch when he burst onto the scene, being dubbed a future star and courted by several of Europe's top sides in 2016. At only 18, he decided to join Bayern Munich, but he has never been the same since.

Still unable to break into the Germans' first team after three seasons, he reportedly wants to find a new club to get his career on track again.

Boto is confident that Felix will not be a "new Sanches," underlining that the circumstances of their transfers are not similar.

"Firstly, we're discussing different players when it comes to attributes, potential and maturity. They've also moved to teams that don't have the same characteristics and demands," Boto explains, adding that Felix might become a game-changer in the financial aspect of the Portuguese football.

"All these big transfers have an impact in the market—look how Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo's fees [both now at Real Madrid] inflated the prices for youngsters in Brazil. Felix's fee is much higher and will certainly have an effect [in Portugal too]."

Maniche suggests that while Felix seems to be better prepared than Sanches, his astonishing valuation growth in six months is not just down to his brilliance. There are other factors to consider, such as the international reputation of Benfica's academy and his association with superagent Jorge Mendes.

"Evidently, each case is different, but I understand it might be inevitable to compare Felix and Sanches. Both of them came from Benfica, moved to great teams. Despite that, the most important thing to take into consideration is their mental strength, if they will be able to remain humble, relying on their families," Maniche says.

"As far as I know, Felix's parents keep his feet on the ground, don't let fame get into his head. It's paramount to have this support. Some players do, others don't.

"We've already watched players of this caliber coming through at Porto and Sporting too, but they weren't from Benfica, nor had Jorge Mendes as their agent. He's the best in the world, someone who can make miracles like this happen. His reputation helps increase the valuation of players.

"I'm not saying Felix is not highly talented, but it's one thing to be a player from Benfica and another totally different thing to be from Porto and Sporting. Even though they have good players too, they are talked about at a different level. They don't have the same international reach."

As expected, Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo did not engage much in the price tag debate and simply stated that he thinks Felix "is worth €126 million."

A strong finisher with both feet and head, very intelligent and capable of creating opportunities in and around the box, the Portuguese phenomenon is impossible to take your eyes off.

Still considered an unproven replacement for Griezmann, he might get a key role from the start with Diego Simeone to prove he's the right man to guide Atletico into the new decade and beyond.

"As with any projection, we are subject to mistakes, but it seems to me that the margin of error with Felix is minimal—we can affirm with some safety that he'll be one of the top players in the future," Boto predicts.

"I have no doubt about his quality or that he has joined a fantastic side, but do have some doubts whether Simeone is the right coach to maximize his potential," Maniche adds.

Lots of questions and yet one certainty as the new season approaches: Felix will be one of the must-follow stories of the season. Portugal, and indeed the world, will be watching.

           

Follow Marcus on Twitter: @_marcus_alves

Atletico Madrid have agreed a deal to sign Alvaro Morata in July 2020 after the Chelsea striker completes his loan in Spain in the upcoming campaign.

Morata spent the second half of last season on loan at the Wanda Metropolitano after joining on an 18-month loan, scoring six goals in 17 appearances.

Atletico confirmed on Saturday the Spain international will return to Madrid and finish that spell this campaign before completing his permanent transfer next year:

📝 | Agreement with @ChelseaFC over the transfer of @AlvaroMorata from July 1, 2020. The striker will play at our club on loan this season and the move will become permanent ahead of the 2020-2021 season
👉 https://t.co/dX4mI5Nxgw#AúpaAtleti pic.twitter.com/rpU8Tex0S3

— Atlético de Madrid (@atletienglish) July 6, 2019

Newly appointed Chelsea manager Frank Lampard has made the decision to allow Morata to leave despite the fact the Blues are set to serve a transfer ban this summer and can't register new players.

The deal means Morata's last appearance for Chelsea—assuming he doesn't return—was a match-winning performance in January's 2-0 FA Cup third-round win over Nottingham Forest when he scored both goals.

It was reported at the time of Morata's move back to Madrid that Atletico could make the move permanent for a fee of £48.5 million.

Chelsea will have recovered much of their £60 million investment in the player after he signed from Real Madrid in 2017, with Morata having failed to find much success during his short spell in the Premier League.

ESPN FC's Liam Twomey remarked upon Morata's low standing at Stamford Bridge and the fact Chelsea were willing to sell even though they're unable to sign a replacement through the transfer market:

Lampard presumably has plans in store for 21-year-old Chelsea academy graduate Tammy Abraham, who scored 26 goals on loan at Aston Villa last season. Two of those came against Derby County, whom Lampard managed until he received the call to return to Stamford Bridge as coach.

Chelsea paid tribute to Morata after his planned 2020 exit was confirmed. The 26-year-old leaves England with a record of 24 goals and six assists in 72 appearances for the Blues.

Graham Hunter recently appeared on Eleven Sports and said Morata—who spent time in Real's academy before moving into their first team and eventually joining Juventus—has more to offer:

Antoine Griezmann continues to be linked with the Wanda Metropolitano exit, per BBC Sport, while Atleti recently confirmed the £113 million signing of Portuguese prodigy Joao Felix from Benfica.

Atletico have moved early to secure Morata's signature on permanent terms, and he'll look to build on a promising start with the club as he returns to his hometown with a secure future.

Atletico Madrid have said they believe Antoine Griezmann negotiated terms with Barcelona without their consent in February. 

In a press statement issued on the club's official website on Friday, Atletico expressed their displeasure and said they have told Griezmann to return to the Spanish capital for pre-season training: 

"On May 14, Antoine Griezmann informed Miguel Angel Gil, Diego Pablo Simeone and Andrea Berta of his decision to leave our club at the end of the season. In the days that followed that meeting, Atletico de Madrid learned that FC Barcelona and the player had reached an agreement in March, specifically in the days following the return match of our Champions League tie against Juventus, and that they had been negotiating the terms of the agreement since mid-February.

[...]

"Regarding president Bartomeu's statement today we wish to state that it is true that yesterday there was a meeting between Miguel Angel Gil and FC Barcelona CEO Oscar Grau, at Barcelona's request and that at that meeting, Mr Grau expressed his intention, once the release clause of Antoine Griezmann's contract had decreased from 200 to 120 million euros, to ask for a deferred payment of the aforementioned amount of the clause in force as from July 1.

[...]

"Through this statement, Atletico de Madrid wishes to express its strongest disapproval of the behaviour of both, especially FC Barcelona, for prompting the player to break his contractual relationship with Atletico de Madrid at a time of the season when the club was involved in the Champions League tie against Juventus, as well as the league title race against FC Barcelona, something that we believe violates the protected periods of negotiation with players and alters the basic rules of integrity in any sporting competition, as well as causing enormous damage to our club and its millions of fans."

According to Pete Jenson of MailOnline, Bartomeu spoke on Friday about the possibility of signing Griezmann.

The Barca supremo said his club held talks with Atletico on Thursday in order to thrash out a transfer for the France international.

However, Atleti's statement could mean Griezmann begins the new season at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium.

Football writer Andrew Gaffney tweeted his criticism of Bartomeu after Atletico's statement:

If Bartomeu's intentions were to avoid any unnecessary drama being caused at de Jong's presentation because he wanted the focus to be on his new signing, he's done a terrible job.

Can. Open. Worms. Everywhere.

— Andrew Gaffney (@GaffneyVLC) July 5, 2019

Atletico have already found a replacement for Griezmann after completing the £113 million capture of Joao Felix from Benfica.

The club could potentially need to sell their striker to fund the latest transfer, which represents the fifth-largest fee in history.

Gaffney tweeted about if there's a necessity to sell Griezmann:

You do wonder how Atletico would be able to fund the Joao Felix deal WITHOUT the Griezmann cash though.

— Andrew Gaffney (@GaffneyVLC) July 5, 2019

Griezmann announced in March it is his intention to leave Atleti after five years at the club.

The player has developed into a world-class attacker during his time in La Liga after starting his career at Real Sociedad in 2009.

Griezmann needs a fresh challenge, but the latest revelations could have a dramatic impact on his immediate future.

Joao Felix has completed his transfer from Benfica to Atletico Madrid.

The La Liga club announced their latest signing on Wednesday, on what was a busy day for the Rojiblancos:

#PureTalent pic.twitter.com/6oQX8dAUA6

— Atlético de Madrid (@atletienglish) July 3, 2019

Atletico also added Felix's contract will be for seven years. Geoff Gillingham of Marca notes Felix is now the fourth-most expensive transfer of all time, joining Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Phillipe Coutinho.

The Spaniards also announced the arrival of Porto's Hector Herrera, while Manchester City triggered the buyout clause in Rodri's contract.

Atleti emerged as front-runners to sign the 19-year-old in recent weeks despite reported interest from Manchester City and Manchester United.

Felix, a graduate of Benfica's youth academy, only made his senior debut for the Portuguese club in August last year.

He went on to enjoy a breakout season in 2018-19, netting 15 goals and providing nine assists in 26 appearances as Benfica reclaimed the Primeira Liga title.

The teenager also earned his first call-up to the Portugal national team, as well as playing a key role in Benfica's run to the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals:

João Félix for Benfica vs. Eintracht Frankfurt:

• Most shots (4)
• Most chances created (3)
• Most shots on target (3)
• Most goals (3)

The youngest player to score a #UEL hat-trick in Europa League history. 🤩 pic.twitter.com/uNabZBQRUI

— Squawka (@Squawka) April 11, 2019

Atletico would not usually be able to compete financially with the likes of City and United for a player of Felix's value, but they look set to receive €120 million for Antoine Griezmann, who has announced he will leave the club this summer.

Felix could act as a direct replacement for the France international as he thrived in a central role last season but can also play on either flank:

Since moving to Second Striker, only Kylian Mbappe (15) has been directly involved in more goals than Joao Felix (12) for players under the age of 21. pic.twitter.com/lFCjcQUXWo

— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) March 26, 2019

He is still very young, though, so manager Diego Simeone may opt to gradually introduce him into the first team.

Atleti have taken a risk in spending such a huge fee on a player who has only had one good season at the top level, and it was in an inferior league to the Spanish top flight.

Felix has enormous potential, though, and if he makes good on his talent, he could be Atletico's attacking talisman for years to come.

Atletico Madrid announced free-agent midfielder Hector Herrera will complete his long-awaited move to the Spanish capital after he agreed to a three-year contract.

He will sign his deal on Thursday:

📝 | Agreement with @HHerreramex for the midfielder to become a new Red & White player 🔴⚪
🇲🇽 The Mexican is to sign a three-year contract tomorrow.
👋 Welcome! 🔝
👉 https://t.co/9KgGratmg2#AúpaAtleti #WelcomeHerrera pic.twitter.com/sPkUFn3UXn

— Atlético de Madrid (@atletienglish) July 3, 2019

The Mexico international had been linked to Atletico throughout the 2018-19 campaign, and at the start of June, Marca's Pablo Egea reported an official announcement was only a matter of time.

The 29-year-old has been a standout for Portuguese giants Porto for years, first arriving in Europe in 2013. A high-octane box-to-box midfielder, he should be a great fit for Atletico's energetic style of play.

The timing of the announcement on Wednesday came shortly after Atletico confirmed Rodri will be leaving for Manchester City.

Sports writer Robbie Dunne believes it's not a clean breakup:

Also, having given Llorente his number 14 jersey before Rodri had officially even vacated it, safe to assume not the cleanest of break-ups between Atlético and Rodri.

— Robbie Dunne (@robbiejdunne) July 3, 2019

Herrera won't be a direct replacement for Rodri, however. Atletico already signed Marcos Llorente in June, and the former Real Madrid man is more of a defensive specialist, who will be tasked with shielding the back four.

That will allow Herrera to worry less about his defensive duties and more about helping out in attack, where he can be a real nuisance. He scored six goals in the Portuguese top division last season, showing just how dangerous he can be.

Atletico are having a busy summer, saying goodbye to the likes of Rodri, Diego Godin and Lucas Hernandez, among others. Adding Herrera on a free transfer allows the club to spend big in other areas, most notably attack, where Joao Felix is expected to arrive soon, per AS' Manolete. 

Benfica have revealed they have received a bid worth €126 million for forward Joao Felix from Atletico Madrid. The Eagles released a statement on Wednesday (h/t Marca's Conor Clancy), detailing how the offer is under consideration.

Atleti are said to have offered €6 million more than the 19-year-old's release clause, but the bid involves deferred payments.

While the Portuguese club's statement indicated no decision has been made, some, including Fabrizio Romano of The Guardian, think the deal has already been finalised:

Official and confirmed: Joao Felix is new Atlético Madrid player, here we go! €126M to Benfica, deal done 🔴⚪️ #JoaoFelix #transfers #Atléti #AtleticoMadrid

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 26, 2019

If Atletico have wrapped up the signing of Felix, or are at least close to doing so, it will represent quite a coup for last season's runner-up in La Liga. Winning the race for one of the most highly regarded young talents in Europe would also mean having beaten Manchester City and Manchester United to his signature.

The Premier League rivals have both shown interest in Felix this summer, according to Simon Mullock of the Mirror. He noted how the Citizens were ready to let the Portugal international, who can operate on either flank or as a No. 10, return to Benfica on loan for the upcoming campaign.

Moving to Atletico would raise important questions for Felix's immediate development—specifically about whether the precocious attacker would thrive under Diego Simeone, a manager noted for more for defensive caution than free-flowing football.

Sid Lowe of the Guardian recently told ESPN FC why Felix and Simeone might not be a fit (h/t Lewis Winter of the Express): "I think you can look over the Diego Simeone period, and I think you can look at a total of 10, maybe 12, players who you can fit in as either wingers, attacking wingers or strikers. I think you would say that the only one who was an unqualified success is Antoine Griezmann."

Lowe's mention of Griezmann is telling because Simeone knows he needs to replace the France international's pace, movement and goals. Griezmann will leave the Spanish capital this summer and continues to be linked with Barcelona.

Barcelona will complete the signing of Antoine Griezmann for €120m when his release clause comes into effect on July 1, according to @JBurtTelegraph pic.twitter.com/NQCS0YfYUW

— B/R Football (@brfootball) June 25, 2019

Atleti got a lot out of Griezmann, but he had already established himself with Real Sociedad before moving to the club in 2014. Felix is coming off a breakout season and is still a teenager, meaning it's an expensive gamble to make him the fourth-most expensive footballer in history.

Many may balk at the inflated state of the market when a player with such little experience can command a nine-figure fee. However, many others believe Felix is worth the price:

“€120 million for a teenager, don’t know what all the fuss is ab-”

Ah, yeah... Joao Felix might be quite good. Fair play. pic.twitter.com/Zx1IJzWybC

— Metro Sport (@Metro_Sport) June 23, 2019

Jõao Félix is the best talent to emerge from the Seixal since Bernardo Silva, and unlike Bernardo, who Jorge Jesus saw as an LB and who barely played for the first team, Félix is fully integrated as a starter and proven in the league and in Europa. Atleti are getting a stud here.

— Zach Lowy (@ZachLowy) June 26, 2019

João Félix (19) in his debut Primeira Liga season:

• 26 appearances
• 15 goals
• 7 assists

Involved in a goal every 79 minutes. pic.twitter.com/O1LgubfUfp

— SCOUTED (@scoutedftbl) May 20, 2019

Atletico are taking a risk, but if Felix realises his potential, he could become the kind of talisman who would help the club bridge the gap to Barca and Real Madrid, both domestically and in the UEFA Champions League.

Atletico Madrid are reportedly ready to make a move to sign Hector Bellerin from Arsenal this summer.

According to Matt Law of the Daily Telegraph, the Gunners are braced for a bid for their right-back from the Spanish capital and Atletico are said to be ready to offer Vitolo to Arsenal as part of the deal. 

Law added that Arsenal valued Bellerin in the region of £50 million last summer amid interest from Juventus and despite having his 2018-19 season ruined by injury, his potential price for suitors has not been lowered.

"Despite the fact he is still recovering from a knee injury, Bellerin has emerged as one of Atletico's summer targets, with manager Diego Simeone keen to bolster his defence with a new right-back," said Law. "... Vitolo played for Sevilla under Emery and the pair won three Europa League titles together before Emery joined Paris Saint-Germain and Vitolo then signed for Atletico."

Atletico are set for a summer of major transition, with Diego Godin, Juanfran and Lucas Hernandez already confirmed to be leaving the club. Antoine Griezmann has also said publicly that he will depart, while according to Sky Sports News, Rodri has told Atletico he wants to move on, with Manchester City and Bayern Munich interested.

With that in mind, Simeone is set to have money to spend in the upcoming window, meaning Atletico would be able to bankroll a possible transfer for Bellerin.

On the field, the previous term was a frustrating one for the Arsenal defender, although his time away from the pitch have allowed him to explore other interests:

Don't let them tell you, it's not possible. Thank you to @virgilabloh & @LouisVuitton for the opportunity 🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/vjzWCvuxo8

— Héctor Bellerín (@HectorBellerin) June 20, 2019

In total, the Spaniard only started 18 games for the Gunners in the top flight, with his previous appearance coming in the 2-0 win over Chelsea in January.

Without him on the field, Arsenal lack one of their key attacking assets. While Bellerin has defensive duties, his game is centred around his ability to burst forward into dangerous positions, as he possesses bundles of energy and searing speed on the overlap.

In his place, Arsenal had to rely on Ainsley Maitland-Niles to fill in, or use veteran Stephan Lichtsteiner; neither were capable of providing the same balance on the right side. Bellerin is also productive when he ventures into attacking positions:

Hector Bellerin: Only Jose Holebas (6) has more assists of defenders than @HectorBellerin (5) in the Premier League this season

For more player stats -- https://t.co/39IHiujtpx pic.twitter.com/DaD6elbdWA

— WhoScored (@WhoScored) January 22, 2019

Vitolo did thrive under Emery at Sevilla and it'd be intriguing to see the two link up again. When he was at his best, Vitolo's power, close control and goalscoring threat made him a difficult player to contain.

However, since leaving Sevilla he has found life tough at Atletico and last season he made a meagre five starts in La Liga. At 29 years old, he will surely be seeking a move and would jump at the chance to join Arsenal. 

Even so, the Gunners will be reluctant to sell Bellerin, who still has so many years left ahead of him at 24. The chance to bring Vitolo, who appears past his best, to the Emirates Stadium is unlikely to change their minds.