Barcelona loaned out Antoine Griezmann to Atletico Madrid on the last day of the 2021 summer transfer window in an attempt to lower their wage bill. The Frenchman was the highest-paid player at the club after the departure of Lionel Messi, and when Atleti came calling, Joan Laporta took his chance and let him leave.

Griezmann has not, contrary to popular expectations, had a strong impact on the team. He’s scored just three goals in the league while setting up another. The situation is slightly better in the Champions League, where he has scored four and assisted one.

According to Fichajes, Barcelona have three options on the table with regards to Griezmann’s future. The obvious one is to let him stay at Atletico and collect the €40 million they will have to cough up for him. This deal could also involve Saul coming to Barcelona in an attempt by Diego Simeone’s side to reduce Griezmann’s price.
The second option is for the World Cup winner to come back to Barcelona. He caught form in the latter stages of the season, playing in a 3-5-2 with Messi, but did not carry his numbers into the new season. He could, however, be useful for Xavi. The Spaniard prefers a high-pressing, high-defensive work rate system, and Griezmann could easily fit the bill.
Finally, if Atletico cannot pay the €40 million for Griezmann, Barcelona could sell him to the Premier League. The forward has attracted interest from the likes of Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, and even Manchester City in the past and could fetch a price north of €40-45 million. Coming off the back of a title win, Atletico have had several obstacles along this season, with the likes of Luis Suarez, Jan Oblak, Jose Gimenez underperforming.