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Premier League: How Antoine Griezmann would fit into Jose Mourinho's Manchester United

Manchester United are thought to have approached Antoine Griezmann ahead of a big-money transfer swoop for the Atletico Madrid star.

Sources suggest the Red Devils are confident of closing a deal for the Frenchman and the finer details of the move have already been agreed in principle.

Griezmann’s release clause is set at €100million but the Old Trafford outfit have shown in recent seasons that huge fees are not an issue when finalising transfers.

Antoine Griezmann
Antoine Griezmann

The Madrid superstar’s France team-mate Paul Pogba arrived for a record fee last summer and is one reason Griezmann is said to be ready to head to England.

Atletico are currently serving a transfer ban and are waiting on the Court of Arbitration for Sport to determine if they will be able to trade this summer.

Should they be given the all clear to conduct business, reports claim Chelsea’s unsettled striker Diego Costa would be top of Madrid’s list of replacements.

Getting the deal for Griezmann over the line is only the beginning of his transition from LaLiga to the faster-paced environment of the Premier League.

Jose Mourinho, who has experience of Spanish football from his time in the capital with Real Madrid, will need to find a way of integrating him into his side.

Jose Mourinho
Jose Mourinho

Pogba, United’s biggest name and Griezmann’s closest ally, is both a help and a hindrance to Mourinho as he attempts to slot the forward into his plans.

The former Juventus midfielder has had a difficult time since returning to Manchester, but his best performances have come when given more freedom.

Michael Carrick’s composure, defensive awareness and range of passing allow Pogba to play further up the pitch and express himself creatively.

Unless Mourinho is willing to sacrifice Zlatan Ibrahimovic from his starting XI, or change his system, then either Pogba or Griezmann would suffer.

Griezmann scored freely for club and country after being deployed centrally, finishing top scorer at Euro 2016, yet Ibrahimovic stands in his way at United.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Anthony Martial have been playing support roles to the centre forward in Manchester and the Atletico star’s talents are wasted out wide.

Pogba could move into the channel, however, Mourinho would also be diluting the influence of one of his biggest assets by shifting him to the left.

Should the talismanic Ibrahimovic continue as the focal point of the attack, the Special One is expected to field Griezmann as a No 10 behind the striker.

That would mean pushing Pogba back deeper into midfield alongside the increasingly important Ander Herrera, who has added bite to his game this term.

Mourinho’s other option is to make his anticipated signing his first-choice frontman and offer the Swede less game time as his ageing legs tire.

Concerns were raised over the future of Juan Mata when Mourinho arrived at Old Trafford but the Spanish international remains a key part of the squad.

Wayne Rooney is on the verge of becoming the club’s all-time leading goalscorer but his days look numbered and the capture of Griezmann would spell the end.

Paul Pogba
Paul Pogba

Marcus Rashford, who burst onto the scene under Louis van Gaal, has not been afforded the same playing time under the Portuguese this season.

However, the speedy striker is still seen as the future of United’s strike force and would be kept on to compete for a first-team place.

Jesse Lingard is another young player with a bright career ahead of him as he develops his craft.

United’s tendency to splash the cash in the last few transfer windows has presented as many problems as it has solutions but Griezmann’s record speaks for itself.

He has banged in 70 goals in 132 games during his last three seasons in Madrid and Ed Woodward would not be able to resist the lure of another big name.

In reality, Griezmann may need to spend one season floating around United’s front four positions as the clock ticks down on Ibrahimovic’s career in England.

However, at the age of 25, time is on the side of the diminutive forward to carve out a stunning career in the Premier League under Mourinho.