It had already been the most remarkable of transfer windows for FC Barcelona, after they’d allowed their best player of all-time to walk away from the club on a free transfer.
On deadline day, however, the shocks just kept on coming, with the news that Antoine Griezmann was being loaned back to Atletico Madrid with a compulsory purchase option for a third of the price Barca paid the Rojiblancos for him just two years ago.
Ultimately, if the Catalans want to progress under Joan Laporta, it’s a deal that needed to be done as, behind Lionel Messi, the Frenchman was the club’s highest earner.
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Without the two players that scored most of their goals last season, Barca could struggle throughout 2021/22.
Gracias @FCBarcelona ?? pic.twitter.com/JygoW5pwQj
— Antoine Griezmann (@AntoGriezmann) September 1, 2021
A transitional season might not be the worst thing to happen for the club, as long as they’ve something up their sleeve next summer.
In parting, Griezmann left a classy message for the Barca supporters.
‘Dear culers. I say goodbye thanking you for your love,’ he wrote on Twitter.
‘I gave everything for this shirt. I have been involved with this great club and I am sad that I was not able to enjoy more of you in the stands, but proud to have been one of yours.’