Barcelona's Valverde refutes Griezmann link
Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde has echoed the sentiments of a club statement denying an alleged agreement with Atletico Madrid star Antoine Griezmann.
"Griezmann is a great player who plays for another club," Valverde told reporters, courtesy of ESPN FC. "We respect that club a lot, Atletico Madrid, so we don't like to talk about those things."
Related: Barcelona denies reports of alleged Griezmann deal
Previously linked with a move to Catalan country, Griezmann's Atleti tenure is in doubt despite putting pen to paper on a new long-term deal last June. Manager Diego Simeone has hinted at a potential exit for the France international, and on Saturday confessed he can't answer for Griezmann's plans, saying, per ESPN: "After this, all the external things ... I cannot say anything because I am not inside his head."
After Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu held a meeting with the player's family that prompted a formal complaint from Atleti that was submitted to FIFA, Valverde is wisely mum over reports of a potential move for Griezmann.
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"The transfer window is still open but anyways we are in a speculative world, so we have to live with that but the club's statement is clear," Valverde added.
"Are you asking me if Griezmann is a good player?" Valverde quizzed. "Yes, obviously he's a great player, but again I would like to talk about my players."