El Centrocampista

FRENCH FANCY – Liverpool and Barça head queue for La Liga starlet

Liverpool and Barcelona are among the clubs currently said to be monitoring the progress of Real Sociedad’s exciting French wing sensation Antoine Griezmann.

However the 20-year-old,  an influential part of the France side that lifted the 2010 under 19 European Championships, has continued to commit himself to the Basque club, insisting a move now would be too much, too soon.

Going back to his very early career with home town club Macon, Greizmann was very much rejected by France’s top teams, despite being extremely gifted with the ball at his feet.

His small build led to doubts over his potential and he was overlooked by many Ligue 1 teams. However, during a trail match for Montpellier, his lightweight appearance was taken out the equation as his ability caught the eye of a visiting Real Sociedad scout, and after a successful trail with the San Sebastian outfit he moved across the border to Spain.

Real Sociedad have definitely invested in the 20-year-old’s talent, securing his services with a five year contract back in April 2010.

A €30 million release clause was also added to the contract, so the likes of Liverpool and Barça would have to pay serious money if they want to add the skilful winger to their ranks.

With his combination of pace and an eye for goal, added to his wealth of experience at such a tender age, he is seen by many as the perfect player for the wide forward role in Barça’s free flowing system.

He has the ability to cut inside from the flanks, very much in the style of Lionel Messi, and go on to create chances for himself. He possess pace with and without the ball, making him feared by oncoming defenders, and with a wonderful ability to provide a pin-point cross into the box it is no wonder that Europe’s top teams are chasing him.

Pep Guardiola himself even praised Griezmann as a top talent, stating that his first season in La Liga was nothing short of spectacular.

Griezmann is a fan favourite for more than just his footballing ability, after scoring his first league goal for the club in a 3-0 victory against Deportivo La Coruña; he celebrated by pretending to drive an advertisement car which was parked at the side of the pitch.

The youngster has also kept himself grounded despite being linked with some of the top clubs in the world.

In fact Griezmann spoke recently of his delight at lining up against Real Madrid and his boyhood idol Cristiano Ronaldo, somebody he considers to be the best player on the planet.

Now one of the most exciting young talents in La Liga, Griezmann has become a vital part of the Philipe Montanier’s squad and has showed tremendous loyalty to the team who gave him a chance in professional football.

However, in reality it is only a matter of time before he makes the step up to enhance his career.

A move to one of the top European clubs that have shown interest in the 20-year-old winger is sure to happen in the not-too-distant future, and with the transfer window already open it would be no surprise if club’s began to renew their interest in La Real’s number seven.

Whether the €30 million price tag will be a bit too much in the January window is a question that remains unanswered, but if he does leave the Basque Country, lets hope it is just across the country to Barcelona, at least that way La Liga fans can continue to watch him blossom in Spain.

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Watch some more of the exciting Antoine Griezmann here




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