MADRID, Oct 10 — Atletico Madrid confirmed they have agreed a deal to sign French striker Antoine Griezmann permanently from Barcelona, on a contract until 2026.

Griezmann has been on loan at Atletico since August 2021 after a difficult spell at Camp Nou, following his EUR120 million (RM542 million) move in 2019.

“Griezmann has signed a deal that links him to our club until June 30, 2026,” said Atletico in a statement today.

The 2018 World Cup winner was a key figure in coach Diego Simeone’s plans last season but has largely been reduced to substitute appearances in the current campaign as Atletico tried to escape paying a reported obligatory EUR40 million purchase fee if he played over a certain number of games.

With the World Cup approaching and Griezmann keen to feature more, Atletico and Barcelona negotiated a new deal, with Barcelona president Joan Laporta confirming the fee during the club’s members assembly yesterday.

“It is for EUR20 million plus four more in variables,” said Laporta.

“There is another clause in the deal to sell the player, which is that if Atletico decide to sell him in the future they will have to pay us the difference that remains, up to the value of the 40 million which was agreed before.”

Atletico did not disclose the value of the new agreement.

Griezmann has played 303 times for the club, scoring 144 goals, across his two stints in the capital.

He netted 35 goals in 102 appearances for Barcelona, winning the Copa del Rey there in 2021.

In club football his biggest success has come at Atletico, winning the Europa League in 2018, as well as the Uefa Super Cup in the same year. — AFP