Barcelona Star Wanted To Leave Club Before Swap Deal For Cristiano Ronaldo 'Successor' Collapsed

Antoine Griezmann’s former agent, Eric Olhats, has revealed that the Barcelona star wanted to leave the club long before being considered in a recently rejected swap deal for Atletico Madrid’s Joao Felix. But he said the French forward changed his mind due to Lionel Messi's impending exit and Ronald Koeman's reassurance.

Amid the Messi exit saga, reports emerged that Griezmann was one of the players Barcelona is looking to unload, but the swap deal he was linked to had fallen apart. But Griezmann’s former agent claimed that the Barcelona star was eyeing a move away from Camp Nou prior to the collapsed deal and the arrival of the new Barca coach.

Olhats said that the France international had been thinking about departing Barcelona even before its humiliating Champions League exit. According to the player's ex-agent, Griezmann “perceived” that he is not included in Barcelona’s future plans.

"Before the [8-2] defeat in the Champions League to Bayern [Munich], Antoine [Grizmann] only had the desire to leave Barcelona," Olhats told RMC Sport. "The reality is that Griezmann perceived that he was not part of the club's plans, that he could not continue like this.”

Initially reported as an “impossible exchange,” sources recently confirmed to ESPN that discussions between the clubs involved in the Griezmann-Felix swap actually happened but eventually failed.

There were also a couple of disputes regarding which club initiated the talks, but in the end, it was quickly dismissed, with both Barca and Atletico “pointing fingers at each other,” the report said.

It is believed that the talks took place earlier this month before both teams were knocked out of the Champions League by Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig, respectively.

Sources close to Atletico told ESPN that Barcelona suggested the swap in an attempt to reduce the club’s wage bill, with Griezmann said to be earning “five times” as much as Felix, whom some have dubbed as the next Cristiano Ronaldo. However, Atletico was unwilling to let the Portuguese teenager go.

Olhats, meanwhile, said that Griezmann changed his mind after he and Koeman had a conversation. Apparently, the new Barca manager has informed Griezmann that he is an “important player” in the club.

"He was seriously studying how to leave. Then what we know happened and a conversation with Koeman reassured him. [Koeman] expressed his plans, because he considers him an important player for the future,” he said.

Barcelona signed Griezmann from Atletico last summer with a record-setting fee. However, he has failed to meet the club’s expectations and was considered by some to be a flop signing.