Barcelona Star Didn't Know He Was Nearing Camp Nou Exit: Report

Antoine Griezmann is reportedly unhappy that FC Barcelona did not inform him that they were set to negotiate with his former club Atletico Madrid about his future this summer.

Griezmann discovered that he may be leaving Barcelona as a part of swap deal that would bring Saul Niguez from Atletico Madrid to Camp Nou through news, according to Spanish media outlet RMC Sport.

This resulted in tension and the deal would not be easy to secure for Barcelona.

Barcelona are currently looking to reduce their wage bill to tie Lionel Messi down to a new contract. Since Messi has already accepted a new deal with a reduced salary, Griezmann is now the highest earner, making his exit from Barcelona more obvious.

An irked Griezmann has demanded Barcelona to cover the wage cut he would have to take to sign for Atletico Madrid, reported soccer website Football Espana. According to the report, despite the tension, Barcelona have scheduled a meeting with Niguez's representatives Friday to sort the deal.

Griezmann, who moved from Atletico Madrid to Barcelona in the summer of 2019, was the best player for the Catalans after captain Messi last season. In 51 appearances across all competitions, the French star netted 20 goals and further provided 13 assists. Out of the 20 goals, 13 came in La Liga. He made significant contributions in their successful Copa del Rey campaign, scoring three goals and four assists.

In a recent interview, Barcelona head coach Ronald Koeman insisted that Griezmann is "very important" to him.

"[Antoine] Griezmann is very important for me," the coach pointed out. "He's been a great signing for Barcelona and has shown his quality. He's performed well and is a very good player. But I insist, I don't know which decisions will be made."

Griezmann, who was a part of the France national team that won the 2018 World Cup, has scored a total of 35 goals in 99 competitive matches for Barcelona.