Diego Simeone offers Liverpool transfer boost with Antoine Griezmann comments

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Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone has essentially ruled out the possibility of Antoine Griezmann returning to the club from Barcelona this summer.

Griezmann’s big-money move to the Nou Camp hasn’t worked out as planned, with the Frenchman having been unable to play his best football with the Catalan giants.

As a result, there were suggestions that he could have departed this summer, with a return to Atletico, as part of a swap deal involving Saul Niguez, being touted as a possibility.

CaughtOffside exclusively revealed last week that Saul’s representatives were holding talks with Barca ahead of a move which would see Griezmann go the other way.

It doesn’t appear as though there has been any progression on that front, though, with Atleti manager Diego Simeone heavily suggesting on Tuesday evening that Griezmann will NOT be returning.

MORE: Liverpool not pursuing Saul Niguez transfer as player’s representatives are working on move to Barcelona

Antoine Griezmann will not be returning to Atletico Madrid this summer

While Griezmann sticking around is not the news that Joan Laporta would have wanted, as he desperately looks to resolve Barca’s financial crisis, it could prove to be positive from a Liverpool perspective.

According to our friends at Empire of the Kop, Liverpool are in the running to sign Saul from Atletico this summer. The Reds are in need of a new midfielder following the departure of Gini Wijnaldum.

If Saul is not to be joining Barcelona, but Atletico were clearly open to the idea of letting him depart for the right deal, it ought to give Liverpool a considerable amount of encouragement.

Whether FSG will provide Jurgen Klopp with the necessary funds to get Saul through the door is another matter, but they will surely see the major void in the squad at the heart of the midfield.

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