Barcelona to Pursue Both Antoine Griezmann & Neymar Ahead of Huge Summer Push

Barcelona are said to be prepared to try sign both Antoine Griezmann and Neymar this summer, with manager Ernesto Valverde desperate to recruit the pair.

Barcelona are said to be prepared to try sign both Antoine Griezmann and Neymar this summer, with manager Ernesto Valverde desperate to recruit the pair.

Griezmann is thought to be incredibly close to signing for the Blaugrana, although recent links to Neymar have suggested that Barcelona could try and push Griezmann towards Paris Saint-Germain to facilitate their signing of the Brazilian.

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However, according to Cat Radio, Valverde wants both players, and the club have now decided that they intend to pursue both Griezmann and Neymar this summer.

It is worth noting that Cat Radio have a good history when it comes to reporting on Barcelona's transfer dealings, with some fans even viewing it as one of the more reliable sources around.

It is said that a deal for Griezmann has already been agreed, and Barcelona are simply waiting until July 1 to activate his €120m release clause. The Frenchman has penned a five-year deal at Camp Nou, and it is thought to be just a matter of time before it is completed.

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However, a move for Neymar is certainly not as straightforward. PSG are eager to recover around €220m for the winger, although that price tag could drop if Barcelona opt to include a player.

The likes of Ivan Rakitic, Samuel Umtiti and even Ousmane Dembele have all been tipped to make the move, but Sport claim that it is Philippe Coutinho who will head to Paris as part of the deal, with Barcelona also paying a fee of €100m.

Sport also state that Barcelona will pursue both players, and they add that the deals are manageable from a financial perspective. The two forwards are prepared to take pay cuts to move to Camp Nou, and the sales of Coutinho, Rakitic and Umtiti would free up a sizeable chunk of their wage budget which could quickly be reinvested.

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Jordi Alba, Nelson Semedo and Arturo Vidal are all named as potential casualties as well, with Barcelona seemingly determined to do whatever it takes to sign the two stars.

Valverde believes that signing Neymar would help ease the squad's concerns about Griezmann's arrival, whilst he also feels capable of managing all the egos in the dressing room, so he has decided that signing both would be best for the Blaugrana.