La Liga

Antoine Griezmann is back with Atletico Madrid. 

According to soccer journalist Fabrizio Romano, Griezmann is returning to the La Liga champions on a loan from Barcelona with an option to buy for €40 million ($47.2 million) after the season. 

In corresponding moves, Atletico reportedly are loaning midfielder Saul Niguez to Chelsea, while Barcelona are attempting to finalize a transfer for Sevilla forward Luuk de Jong. 

In corresponding moves, Atletico reportedly are loaning midfielder Saul Niguez to Chelsea, while Barcelona are attempting to finalize a transfer for Sevilla forward Luuk de Jong. 

Griezmann emerged as one of the game's most dangerous forwards during his time with Atletico, posting 94 league goals and 32 league assists in five seasons for the club before departing for Barca ahead of the 2019-20 season. 

The 30-year-old didn't bring that production with him, however, posting 22 goals and 11 assists in his two full seasons with Barca (71 total La Liga appearances). To put that in perspective, the Frenchman had two separate seasons scoring 22 goals with Atleti. 

Nothing will be more shocking than Messi's departure. But strengthening a key rival that won the title last season is a curious bit of business itself, even if Griezmann's tenure at the Camp Nou was an unsuccessful one. 

Barcelona is clearly building for the future around young players like Pedri, Eric Garcia and Ansu Fati while attempting to keep ambitions high for this season. But there's little doubt that it has just strengthened a key rival, even if the wage bill required it.

Barcelona reportedly continue to make a late push to acquire Joao Felix from Atletico Madrid before the summer transfer window closes Tuesday by offering Antoine Griezmann in a potential swap.

ESPN's Sam Marsden and Moises Llorens reported the latest conversations could hinge on Diego Simeone, who's "keen" to work with Griezmann again after the forward left the club in 2019 to join Barca, but the Atletico manager does not want the reunion to come at the expense of Felix.

The Colchoneros have raised the prospect of reopening talks about a swap that would send Griezmann back to Estadio Metropolitano in exchange for midfielder Saul Niguez, which was discussed earlier in the window, but Barcelona would prefer a forward in return for the French international, per ESPN.

Griezmann, 30, tallied 13 goals and seven assists across 36 La Liga appearances for Barca last season. He arrived to Camp Nou in July 2019 on a €120 million transfer.

Felix, 21, has looked like a star in the making during stints with Benfica and Atletico over the past three years. He recorded seven goals and five assists in 31 La Liga matches last term.

Barcelona made an initial offer to take the Portuguese forward on loan for 2021-22 and, after that was declined, returned with the Griezmann swap proposal, according to ESPN.

With Simeone hesitant to give up Felix in the final hours before the transfer deadline, it's unclear whether the sides have any further alternatives, or whether Barca could add further assets to entice the swap.

In 2018, Griezmann told UEFA.com before his exit from Atletico that Simeone was the “best tactical and defensive coach in the world.”

"It's a joy to work with him. He identifies every player's weaknesses and tries to improve them, making you a more complete player," Griezmann said. "He has helped me grow both on a personal and professional level. He will always ask for the best of me and make me do my best, and I'll always be there to help him and help win the games."

He won the UEFA Super Cup and Europa League under Simeone during his prior stint with the club.

While it sounds like a return is possible before the transfer window closes, the clubs still have work to do if it's going to become reality.

Real Madrid reportedly completed the acquisition of midfielder Eduardo Camavinga from Rennes on Tuesday, the final day of the summer transfer window.

Sky Sports' Fabrizio Romano reported the sides agreed on a €31 million transfer fee with add-ons that bring the total to €40 million, and Camavinga subsequently signed a contract with Los Blancos through June 2027.

Camavinga also attracted interest from other European giants, including Chelsea, Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain, but Real Madrid was the only one to make a formal offer ahead of the transfer deadline, per L'Equipe (via French Football News).

The Athletic previously reported the 18-year-old France international wasn't planning to sign a new contract after his deal with Rennes ran out in 2022, which increased the club's efforts to move him.

Camavinga, who'd been with Rennes since his time as a youth player in 2013, has established himself as a terrific tackler capable of playing in either a central or defensive midfield role.

In May, he reacted to reports that several high-profile clubs were potential landing spots on the transfer market during an interview with Telefoot (via AS' Andres Onrubia).

"It makes you feel flattered and it's nice that teams like Real Madrid or Bayern are interested in your situation, I'm not going to lie. But I have not yet thought it over with my family," Camavinga said.

He ultimately decided on Los Blancos, where he'll likely compete with Casemiro for playing time in the central midfield throughout the 2021-22 season.

While Camavinga's defensive ability is already on full display, it'll be intriguing to see whether he can develop a little more confidence going forward. He recorded just one goal and two assists across 35 Ligue 1 appearances for Rennes last term.

His first chance to don a Real Madrid kit could come Sept. 12 when the club returns from the international break to face Celta Vigo at the Bernabeu.

Real Madrid is reportedly ending its pursuit of Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe, according to Sky Sports and RMC Sport. 

Per Sky Sports, the "deadline for PSG to respond to Real Madrid’s €170 million ($200.5 million) plus €10 million ($11.7 million) offer for Mbappe has expired."

Real Madrid can afford to draw a hard line in the sand with PSG. Given that Mbappe seemingly has his mind set on joining Real Madrid and is spurning a contract extension from his current club, Los Blancos could simply sign him on a free transfer next season. 

In essence, Real Madrid can take the stance that PSG either accept their latest offer or risk losing arguably the best young player in the world without getting any transfer fee in return. 

Jason Burt of The Telegraph reported earlier on Monday that Real Madrid were considering upping their offer for Mbappe. It's possible Los Blancos could return to the negotiating table one last time to secure Mbappe for this season, with the transfer deadline a day away. 

Adding Mbappe would certainly aid in their quest to win La Liga and Champions League trophies this season. 

Real Madrid have been planning for this moment for two years, after all. ESPN's Alex Kirkland reported that the Spanish giants "haven't paid a transfer fee to add to their first-team squad since the summer of 2019," with president Florentino Perez "saving up" for Mbappe. 

With an Mbappe departure for Real Madrid all but imminent at this point, be it this summer or next, the only reason PSG might not sell is the prospect of European glory. The Parisien club has never won the Champions League, and keeping Mbappe to pair with Lionel Messi, Neymar and a humorously stacked roster arguably makes them the favorites this season. 

Is that worth giving up hundreds of millions of dollars though? 

Perhaps for Qatar Sports Investments, which owns PSG and has pumped over a billion dollars into the club since taking over in 2011, money isn't an issue in the face of potential footballing glory. Such a possibility is a sobering reminder of the obscene and unbalanced spending from the biggest clubs in modern football, with PSG near the top of that list.

Real Madrid has increased its offer to €170 million ($200 million) for Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe, according to Sky Sports' Kaveh Solhekol.

In an interview with French media outlet RMC (h/t ESPN FC's Alex Kirkland and Rodrigo Faez), PSG sporting director Leonardo conceded the French forward is looking to depart but added any transfer "will be done under our conditions."

Mbappe is entering the final year of his contract, which is raising questions for both sides of the potential transfer.

A €170 million fee is a steep price to pay—even for a talent as good as Mbappe—when the 22-year-old can be signed on a free transfer next summer. That's also a lot of money for PSG to turn down given his contract status and apparent reluctance to sign an extension.

Some are also wondering how Real Madrid could facilitate such a massive deal given its financial situation. 

Club president Florentino Perez cautioned in April that Madrid and other major European powers would be "dead" by 2024 without the monetary boost the since-abandoned Super League was going to provide.

Madrid did, however, announce a net profit of €874,000 from the 2020-21 season despite the strain the COVID-19 pandemic placed on it and clubs around the world. Los Blancos have subsequently padded their coffers with the sales of Raphael Varane (€41 million) and Martin Odegaard (€35 million).

The Athletic's Adam Crafton reported Real Madrid officials have been pooling a "Mbappe fund" through player sales dating back more than a year. Loaning out Odegaard, Gareth Bale and Luka Jovic allowed the club to stash money for a marquee transfer as well.

Still, the transfer fee alone wouldn't represent the entirety of the outlay required to sign Mbappe right now.

The departure of Cristiano Ronaldo has allowed Karim Benzema to shine to an even larger degree at the Santiago Bernabeu. Benzema totaled 65 goals in La Liga in the first three seasons following Ronaldo's move to Juventus.

But the 13-time European champions haven't found a true replacement for the Portuguese star, both in terms of his impact on the pitch and the commercial value he provided. Mbappe would unquestionably address both concerns.

There isn't any indication Paris Saint-Germain is willing to let the 2018 World Cup champion leave this summer, but Real Madrid is doing everything it can to test Leonardo's resolve.

Paris Saint-Germain sporting director Leonardo confirmed Wednesday that star forward Kylian Mbappe wants to leave PSG.

Speaking to RMC (h/t Get French Football News), Leonardo said: "Kylian Mbappe wants to leave, that seems clear. ... If he wants to leave, we will not stop him, but on our terms."

It was previously reported by Adam Crafton of The Athletic that PSG had rejected a €160 million ($188 million) bid from Real Madrid for Mbappe.

Although the initial bid was rejected, L'Equipe (h/t AS) that PSG would consider an offer of €200 million ($235 million) from Real Madrid.

Leonardo confirmed PSG rejected Real Madrid's first offer, and while the expectation is that Real Madrid will improve its offer before next Tuesday's deadline, the sporting director said he does not "plan to speak again" with Los Blancos, per RMC Sport (h/t Alex Young of the Evening Standard).

Mbappe's contract is set to expire next summer, meaning he could leave without PSG receiving any compensation. That is likely why the Ligue 1 side is showing a willingness to move Mbappe if the right offer is made.

Leonardo expressed his belief that Real Madrid is posturing to land Mbappe on a free transfer next summer, saying:

"In terms of our position on Real, it seems like a strategy to try to get a 'no' from us, to show that they have tried everything and to wait for a year to get him for free. For the last two years, Real Madrid have been behaving like this, it is not correct, illegal even because they contacted the player.

"They want us to reject to show to Kylian that they tried everything and to start negotiating for next year."

He added that PSG have made Mbappe two "significant offers" to stay and that Real's first offer was "very far" from what the club believes Mbappe is worth.

While PSG would likely prefer Mbappe to sign a contract extension,  ESPN's Julien Laurens and Rodrigo Faez reported Tuesday that the 22-year-old star has "made it clear" he has no intention of signing a new deal.

Mbappe is arguably the best young player in the world and is into his fifth season at PSG after starting his professional career with Monaco.

The Frenchman has one goal through three Ligue 1 matches this season after scoring 30 or more goals across all competitions in each of the previous three seasons.

Last season was Mbappe's best, as he scored 42 goals in all competitions in 47 matches, including 27 goals in 31 Ligue 1 matches.

Mbappe has twice been named the Ligue 1 Player of the Year, and he won the FIFA World Cup Best Young Player award in 2018 when France won its second World Cup title.

Prior to the 2021-22 Ligue 1 season, PSG made one of the biggest signings in its history by landing Lionel Messi on a free transfer from Barcelona.

Messi had agreed to a contract extension with Barca, but when they were unable to execute the deal due to financial issues, PSG swooped in and signed the all-time great.

PSG now boast one of the most electric attacking trios in soccer history with Messi, Mbappe and Neymar, but if PSG get an improved offer, Mbappe may not be in Paris for much longer.

Paris Saint-Germain has reportedly rejected an initial bid from Real Madrid of €160 million ($188 million) for superstar Kylian Mbappe. However, the club would consider a €200 million ($235 million) proposal if Los Blancos are willing to increase their offer.

Adam Crafton of The Athletic reported PSG's decision to decline the initial bid. L'Equipe (via AS) noted Les Parisiens are reluctant to sell this summer but may if the price is closer to $235 million. They face a difficult decision if Real Madrid improves its offer before the transfer window closes Tuesday since Mbappe's contract ends after the 2021-22 season.

Leonardo, Paris Saint-Germain's sporting director, commented on the situation Wednesday:

PSG are in a difficult position as their prior acquisition of Barcelona legend Lionel Messi gave the club the world's most high-profile attacking trio as he joined Mbappe and Neymar. It would have been intriguing to see how they could have performed over an entire term.

The Messi situation is a reminder of the dangers of keeping a player until their contract expires, though.

He became a free agent July 1 and, while there was an expectation he'd re-sign with Barca, the La Liga club couldn't satisfy La Liga's financial regulations to get his new contract verified. In turn, he headed for the Parc des Princes on a free transfer.

Paris Saint-Germain don't want to see Mbappe walk away next summer without getting any compensation in return, so a transfer before the summer window closes Tuesday or during the winter window is the safest option for the Ligue 1 side.

While that could change if the 22-year-old France international reverses course and shows a willingness to sign a contract extension, that hasn't happened yet.

ESPN's Julien Laurens and Rodrigo Faez reported Tuesday that Mbappe has "made it clear" he isn't planning to re-sign with the club.

The forward, who's scored 133 goals in 174 appearances across all competitions for PSG, would be a major loss, but the arrival of Messi would help soften the blow in the short term.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid has overcome financial concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic with conservative spending in recent years, which puts Los Blancos in "position to make an appropriate offer" for Mbappe, per Laurens and Faez.

Now, the only question is whether there's enough time for the clubs to hammer out the transfer details before the window closes Tuesday.

Barcelona President Joan Laporta shed light on the club's financial woes Monday, saying its debt stood at €1.35 billion, which played a role in Lionel Messi's recent departure for Paris Saint-Germain after his new contract with Barca couldn't be finalized.

ESPN FC's Alex Kirkland noted Laporta, who returned to the presidential role in March after holding the position from 2003 through 2010, blamed predecessor Josep Maria Bartomeu for the issues.

"Bartomeu was plugging holes in the short term and mortgaging the club in the long term," Laporta said. "That leaves us a dramatic inheritance. To the initial debt of €617 million you have to add €389 million on players, €90 million in litigation, €79 million in advance television rights and €56 million from the Espai Barca project. In total, it's €1.35 billion."

Messi, who became a free agent July 1 after his contract expired, was widely expected to sign a new five-year deal with Barcelona before the club suddenly announced Aug. 5 it wouldn't be able to retain him because of La Liga's "regulations on player registration."

The Blaugrana face a "strict" salary cap imposed by the Spanish top-flight league that also required Gerard Pique to accept a wage cut in order to sign transfers Memphis Depay and Eric Garcia, per Kirkland.

Bartomeu wrote an open letter last week (via Marca's Ramiro Aldunate) saying the "inaction" by the club's board of directors since Laporta returned to the presidency is the reason for the financial state:

If [Laporta's] Board had approved the [Barcelona Corporate] project, it would have meant a capital injection of at least €220 million with the aim of reducing the income losses caused by COVID...which in 2020-21 could be €375 million.

If to those €220 million we had added the necessary 20 percent salary reduction (€90 million) from the players' contracts, essential from March 21, 2021, when the worst expectations were confirmed, the salary ratio dictated by La Liga would have been complied with, allowing for players to be registered.

Laporta argued the letter was "full of lies," per Kirkland, and said the trickle-down effect of Neymar's transfer to PSG in August 2017 was the source of the problems.

"They spent the €220 million from the Neymar deal disproportionately and at light speed. That is when the salaries shot up," he said. "We'll have to change the model and invest in [Barcelona's academy] La Masia, making more proportionate investments with more sporting logic."

Messi signed a two-year contract with an option for a third year with PSG that includes an annual salary of €30-35 million, according to ESPN's Julien Laurens.

The French side hasn't announced when he'll make his club debut. Les Parisiens, who opened the Ligue 1 term with back-to-back wins over Troyes and Strasbourg, next play Friday at Brest.

Meanwhile, Barcelona opened the post-Messi era Sunday with a 4-2 victory over Real Sociedad.

Barcelona didn't miss Lionel Messi in its first match of the 2021-22 La Liga season, earning a 4-2 win over Real Sociedad.

Martin Braithwaite scored two goals for the home team at Camp Nou on Sunday, matching his scoring total for all of last season. The forward then helped close things out with an assist to Sergi Roberto in extra time, sealing the win after Real Sociedad created drama with two late goals.

Even with some nervy moments in the closing minutes, it was a well-deserved victory for the Spanish giants.

The match was a start of a new era for Barcelona without Messi, who spent 17 years with the club while winning four Champions League trophies and 10 league titles. The club was unable to keep him this summer due to financial restrictions, and he signed with Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer last week.

Manager Ronald Koeman is looking to keep the club's same level of success without the superstar, and the first competitive match represented a good start.

Barcelona mostly controlled the action from the opening kickoff, finishing with 62 percent possession while getting eight shots on goal compared to just three from Real Sociedad.

After some close chances early, Gerard Pique was the first on the scoresheet with a header off a set piece:

Just before halftime, Frenkie de Jong set up Braithwaite for another Barcelona goal:

Even without Messi, Barca showed its talent with sharp passing and an attacking mindset.

The 2-0 lead at halftime was well-earned with nearly everyone on the pitch playing well:

New addition Memphis Depay did well in his attempt to fill in at striker. He assisted Pique on the free-kick and caused a lot of problems for Real Sociedad while beating defenders and drawing fouls. Even if he didn't score, the transfer from Lyon made his presence felt and showcased his upside heading into the season.

In the 59th minute, Braithwaite came through again to earn his brace on a rebound following a shot by Jordi Alba.

The final goal came on a counterattack as Braithwaite crossed to Roberto for an easy tap-in in the 91st minute.

This helped ease some concerns from the home supporters, who saw a 3-0 lead almost evaporate with two quick goals by Real Sociedad. Neto was barely challenged in net until Julen Lobete fired one past him in the 82nd minute.

The visitors then cut the margin again in the 85th minute on an excellent free kick by Mikel Oyarzabal:

It simply wasn't enough for the underdogs to get a result in the opening match of the league season.

Barcelona will be on the road next match against Athletic Bilbao on Saturday. Real Sociedad will host Rayo Vallecano on Sunday. 

Barcelona club legend Lionel Messi gave a tearful press conference Sunday, saying he is not ready to leave Camp Nou.

"The truth is I don't know what to say," Messi told reporters. "In these last few days, I have been thinking, giving lots of thought to what I would say. The truth is that I can't think of anything. This is really difficult for me after so many years, being here my entire life. I'm not ready for this."

He added, "I hope I can come back and be part of this club in any way, to help this club be the best in the world."

His comments come after Barcelona released a statement Thursday saying it couldn't finalize a new contract with him because of "financial and structural obstacles" related to La Liga's financial regulations:

"As a result of this situation, Messi shall not be staying on at FC Barcelona. Both parties deeply regret that the wishes of the player and the club will ultimately not be fulfilled. FC Barcelona wholeheartedly expresses its gratitude to the player for his contribution to the aggrandisement of the club and wishes him all the very best for the future in his personal and professional life."

Messi became a free agent July 1 with the conclusion of his previous contract. The six-time Ballon d'Or winner agreed to a new deal with Barca in mid-July that included a "significant wage reduction," per ESPN's Sam Marsden and Moises Llorens. It couldn't immediately be registered with La Liga, though.

Barcelona President Joan Laporta noted at the start of Messi's foray into free agency the club would need to work through some financial logistics to get the deal officially on its books.

"I know that Leo wants to stay. Talks have been going well, and we are making every effort to ensure that he stays," Laporta said on El Transistor (via AS). "We have to fit in with Financial Fair Play rules. There are a lot of alternatives, and we are studying all of them."

Messi seemed content letting the club work through the behind-the-scenes issues as he won the 2021 Copa America title with Argentina on July 10 and then went on holiday ahead of the 2021-22 season.

Instead, Barca made the shock announcement that his decorated tenure with the club is over. Messi admitted signing with Paris Saint-Germain is a possibility but said nothing is finalized.

"That is one possibility [PSG]. There's nothing closed at the moment, but we're talking about a lot of things. After Barca's statement, a lot of clubs showed an interest. But nothing final, although there are talks, of course," Messi said.

However, ESPN's Sam Marsden and Julien Laurens later reported Messi agreed to a two-year contract with PSG, which could become official later this week.

Marsden and Laurens added, "Sources added that Messi is expected to travel to Paris on Sunday before completing a medical in the coming days and signing a two-year deal with the option for a third season. He could be presented at an event at the Eiffel Tower in the coming days."

The never-finalized contract with Barca had represented a change of heart for the 34-year-old forward, who appeared to have one foot out of Camp Nou last year before a disputed contract clause led him to stay.

Last September, he told Goal's Ruben Uria that previous Barca President Josep Maria Bartomeu decided to enforce a €700 million release clause that made a move "impossible."

"I thought and was sure that I was free to leave. The president always said that at the end of the season I could decide if I stayed or not," Messi said. "Now they cling to the fact that I did not say it before June 10, when it turns out that on June 10 we were competing for La Liga in the middle of this awful coronavirus."

Laporta, who previously served as president from 2003 through 2010 during Messi's early years with the club, was elected back to the role in March and salvaged the relationship with the Argentine superstar, but the team couldn't work through the financial issues to re-sign him.

Messi arrived at Barcelona's famed La Masia youth academy in early 2001 and made his first-team debut in a 2003 friendly.

He proceeded to score 672 goals in 778 appearances across all official competitions for the Blaugrana while leading them to 10 La Liga championships, four Champions League titles and numerous other trophies during his two-decade tenure.