Atletico Madrid star Antoine Griezmann has delivered a blow to potential Premier League suitors by telling RMC that he has doubts about moving to England.
What's the word?
The France international has been heavily linked with a summer transfer to Manchester United.
The Express claims that Griezmann is manager Jose Mourinho's number one target, with some even suggesting that the number seven shirt vacated by Memphis Depay could be set aside for the striker.
The 25-year-old has been a key figure for Atletico in La Liga and on the Champions League stage over the past few seasons.
In the current campaign, Griezmann has scored 16 goals in 32 appearances in all competitions and he thrived for France during the European Championships last summer by netting six times.
Many high-profile clubs are likely to be keeping a close eye on the forward, but alarm bells may be ringing at Old Trafford following the star's latest comments.
He told RMC:
“I have a lot of doubts about moving to England. With Real Sociedad, I felt that I needed to leave.
“For the moment, I do not know where that desire came from. Who knows how the season will finish. If it finishes badly, maybe I will ask myself the question. For the moment, it is not relevant.”
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Why would Griezmann have doubts?
From a career standpoint, there are not many clubs bigger than Manchester United, so if a player is looking to experience the Premier League for the first time, Old Trafford is certainly one of the best places to be.
Perhaps Griezmann's doubts come from the hassle of uprooting and settling into a country where he does not speak the language.
The 25-year-old has spent his entire career in France and Spain, and it could perhaps be a culture shock for him if he were to move to English shores.
From a footballing point of view, he would more than likely be guaranteed game time under manager Jose Mourinho, who could use him as the focal point of attack.
There is a chance, though, that the Red Devils will miss out on a Champions League spot, which can be a deal breaker for some players.
One English club who are pretty much certain to be in Europe next season is league leaders Chelsea, who have also been touted as potential suitors for Griezmann.
However, The Sun reports that striker Diego Costa is on the verge of signing a new five-year contract, which might affect the club's desire to move for the Atletico star.
It is still unclear whether Griezmann will leave the Vicente Calderon in the summer, but he is expected to dominate the transfer gossip pages when the window reopens.
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