Manchester City enter race for Manchester United target

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has earmarked Atletico Madrid striker Antoine Griezmann as a top transfer target this summer and is ready to rival Manchester United for his signature, reports The Daily Mail.

Griezmann’s future is uncertain beyond the end of the current campaign but Atletico will be powerless to keeping their star striker if any team triggers his €100m (£75m) release clause in the summer.

United have been pursuing Griezmann’s signature all season and will look to complete a deal at the end of the season, although there have been some suggestions the France international will only agree to the move if United can offer Champions League football.

Jose Mourinho’s side are currently four points adrift of the top four in the Premier League but are in the semi-finals of the Europa League and only three games away from winning that tournament which would grant them entry into next season’s Champions League.

However, the United boss could now face another problem in his pursuit of the 26-year-old with nearest rivals City now also interested in bringing the Frenchman to England this summer. 

Griezmann has scored 24 goals in 45 appearances in all competitions this season, while being named the WhoScored man of the match at least eight more times than any other Atletico player in the last three league campaigns (17).

For more stats on Antoine Griezmann, click here to visit his WhoScored player page