Chelsea Could ANNOUNCE Antoine Griezmann Signing Next Week, Atletico Shops For Replacement

Atletico Madrid are reportedly keeping tabs on Monaco forward Anthony Martial as they seek to find a replacement for apparently outgoing forward Antoine Griezmann.

Griezmann-24 has had an impressive debut season for Atletico notching 22 goals in 37 league games. Atletico Madrid’s boss, Diego Simeone however will have his hands tied at keeping the French International at the Vicente Calderon as per reports from Tutto Mercato Web who suggested that Simeone is preparing for life after the player’s imminent departure and has set his sights on 19-year old French forward Martial.

Aged just 19-years-old, Anthony Martial is fast becoming a footballing sensation in France with AS Monaco, after exceptional displays, both in Ligue 1 and the Champions League. Such is the excitement the hugely talented young forward is creating, inevitably, some pundits in his country have likened Martial to former Arsenal and France star, Thierry Henry.

Chelsea on the other hand, are reportedly edging closer to the signature of Griezmann. The Daily Star has revealed that Chelsea have made contact with the Atletico,who have told the Stamford Bridge team that they will need to trigger the player’s release clause of 40m if they are to have any chance of signing him.

Now that they are Premier League champions, the mission for Chelsea ahead of 2015/16 is to get bigger and better. Mourinho must add players of a certain billing. The boss needs match-winners—the types who produce big performances when they’re needed most—to score those vital goals that take teams above and beyond and one man is perfectly suited for that role “Antoine Griezmann”.

We’re living in the age of the £85 million footballer, so when players like Griezmann are potentially available for half of that, any ambitious club needs to take notice.

Since the £43 million buyout clause in Griezmann’s Atletico Madrid’s contract was revealed, Chelsea have been strongly linked with a move for the French ace, and a move edges closer by each passing day. Griezmann wouldn’t be replacing anybody at Chelsea, though. There’s a position ready and waiting for him as the club’s No. 10.

The 24-year-old is so versatile that we’ve seen him play across the front for Atletico—in attack, out wide and through the middle. With Mourinho still attempting to sufficiently fill that central role among his three attacking midfielders, the stage seems set for Griezmann.

That’s the area Chelsea must target this summer. As we’ve seen, the dependency on Eden Hazard will only get this team so far. With Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa, that has been eased somewhat, but on the big occasions this year, without another consistent, dynamic performer, Chelsea havelacked the know-how to overcome top opposition.

Chelsea have their strengths throughout the squad, and now it’s about making them more formidable in attack. Griezmann’s form this term suggests he would bring much more than a creative streak in support of Costa as the lone striker—he’d also bring goals.