Liverpool poised to benefit from Lionel Messi’s return to Barcelona
Lionel Messi’s decision to stay at Barcelona might do wonders for Liverpool’s attack. Suddenly, Jurgen Klopp has a chance to buy Antoine Griezmann.
If Manchester City had been able to successfully woo Lionel Messi to the Premier Leauge it could have really damaged Liverpool’s hopes of repeating as league champions. As it happens, Messi’s choice to stick with the La Liga giants may give Jurgen Klopp’s squad a massive boost heading into next season.
The attack at Barcelona now seems to be overcrowded due to the return of both Messi and Philippe Coutinho. That means Antoine Griezmann could prove to be surplus to requirements for new manager Ronald Koeman. According to The Daily Mail, Liverpool, Arsenal, and Manchester United all will have interest in the French attacker if he is allowed to leave this summer.
It’s fair to say Griezmann didn’t thrive at Barcelona since making his big-money move over from Atletico Madrid. He struggled to find the back of the net for his new club and looked out of sorts for large stretches of the 2019-20 campaign. It’s possible he could be rejuvenated under Koeman, but the Dutch manager seems to have a sincere interest in handing playing time to several of his club’s high-profile starlets. That means Griezmann could struggle to find regular playing time.
A move to Anfield would give Griezmann the best chance to revive his career. Klopp plays a similar pressing style to the system Diego Simeone institutes at Atletico. That’s a perfect fit for Griezmann. It allows him to create attacking chances with his quickness. The French international lacks the size to fashion chances in a posession based system. He needs transition opportunities to be at his best.
The challenge for Liverpool will be outbidding the competition. Barcelona may try to negotiate a swap deal where Griezmann heads to England and an attacker like Sadio Mane heads in the other direction. Klopp would prefer to add Griezmann without parting with another member of his starting XI.
Of course, that will require Liverpool to splash a healthy amount of transfer cash. Barcelona aren’t going to turn a profit on the £100 million they spent on Griezmann last summer, but they won’t be keen to absorb a massive loss. At the very least, the Premier League club will need to sanction a bid in excess of £60 million to begin negotiations.
Next. Barcelona need to get rid of Antoine Griezmann (and his family). dark
That might be enough to tempt Barcelona into moving on from Griezmann. He’s an awkward fit under Koeman and the club are growing tired of his off-the-field antics. A move to Liverpool could benefit everyone involved.