Ekow Asmah Sports
ANTOINE GRIEZMANN has been told he will remain an Atletico Madrid player “for a long time”, as Manchester United ramp up their interest.
The La Liga club’s president has issued a stern hands-off warning to Jose Mourinho.
The Old Trafford boss had begun talks to sign the £60million France striker this summer but now Enrique Cerezo has said he will fight tooth and nail to keep the 25-year-old in Spain.
He said: “There are many offers. I don’t know what will come of Manchester United’s interest.
“What I can say though is that Griezmann will be an Atlético player for a long time.”
However, those words are at odds with what boss Diego Simeone had to say on the matter.
He said: “I don’t tie anyone down, I simply keep working to continue getting better for the sake of the club.
“He is in an extraordinary moment, is working well, has gotten back on the scoresheet and his form is good. It is normal that the best teams in the world want him.
“I am not surprised that the teams who are looking are the ones who can afford him.”
The Special One sees Griezmann as the perfect catalyst to get the best out of summer signings Paul Pogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Reports stated Griezmann has already “verbally agreed” his weekly wage and shirt number at United.
And he is open to the idea of linking up with France team-mate Pogba on the same massive wage.
SOURCE: thesun.co.uk