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Chelsea transfer news: Blues hope lucrative offer will tempt Antoine Griezmann into summer move

Griezmann has fired Atletico Madrid to the Champions League semi-finals with the Spanish side level on points with La Liga leaders Barcelona

Jack de Menezes

Tuesday 19 April 2016 09:59 BST

Antoine Griezmann remains a transfer target for Chelsea (Getty)

Chelsea will resume their efforts to sign Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann in the summer and hope that a lucrative offer will be enough to persuade him to move to the Premier League.

Griezmann has fired Atletico into La Liga title contention following Barcelona’s recent slump, and having scored 29 goals in 46 appearances this season, the France international has strengthened his reputation as one of the most prolific forwards currently playing in Europe despite playing in a wide role.

His form has also helped Atletico reach the semi-finals of the Champions League for the second time in three years, but it has also caught the eye of Chelsea who believe he can help lead the Blues back into European football.

Chelsea will miss out on qualification for both the Champions League and Europa League and will be a notable absentee in European football next season, but The Mirror claims that the club still believe that they can talk the 25-year-old into a move regardless.

The club will certainly have the wage budget available to make Griezmann an appealing offer given they are set to free up money from selling Loic Remy as well as ending the loan deals of Radamel Falcao and Alexandre Pato, with all three failing to impress during their spells with the club.

14 possible ins and outs at Conte's Chelsea

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1/1414 possible ins and outs at Conte's Chelsea

14 possible ins and outs at Conte's Chelsea

<b>Out:</b> Diego Costa

The controversial striker is reportedly unhappy in England and believes that the country’s referees and media are targeting him. A move back to Atletico Madrid could be on the cards if the new manager cannot convince him to stay.

Getty

14 possible ins and outs at Conte's Chelsea

<b>Out:</b> Thibaut Courtois

The goalkeeper’s form has suffered since his knee injury earlier this season and, according to reports, Conte could cash in while the Belgium international’s value remains high. A wise move?

14 possible ins and outs at Conte's Chelsea

<b>Out:</b> Radamel Falcao

The desperately out-of-form striker has confirmed that he will return to Monaco for pre-season training, bringing an end to what has been a disastrous two-year spell in England.

14 possible ins and outs at Conte's Chelsea

<b>Out:</b> Loic Remy

Another player in need of a fresh start. He’s been a small fish in a big pond ever since joining Chelsea but has enough quality to become the focal point of an attack elsewhere.

14 possible ins and outs at Conte's Chelsea

<b>Out:</b> Nemanja Matic

His fall from grace has slightly overlooked this season. Imperious upon arrival, he’s fallen behind John Obi Mikel in the pecking order – a state of affairs that many would barely be able to believe this time last year.

14 possible ins and outs at Conte's Chelsea

<b>Out:</b> Alexandre Pato

Despite his brilliant debut at Villa Park, the Brazilian may have done too little too late to earn a permanent contract. Any offer would be a mistake unless he can definitively answer questions over his fitness.

14 possible ins and outs at Conte's Chelsea

<b>Out:</b> Oscar

One of the few players in the squad who can provide the odd moment of magic but infuriatingly inconsistent. The Brazil international can still command a decent market price and is therefore dispensable.

14 possible ins and outs at Conte's Chelsea

<b>Out:</b> Nathan Ake (Watford)

The 21-year-old defender spent last season on loan with Watford, and he will continue his Premier League education this term with Bournemouth after joining the Cherries in a season-long loan.

14 possible ins and outs at Conte's Chelsea

<b>In:</b> Romelu Lukaku (Everton)

The Belgium international has made no secret of his desires to play for a Champions League club and, according to The Independent’s Mark Ogden, Conte has made him his number one priority this summer.

14 possible ins and outs at Conte's Chelsea

<b>In:</b> Arturo Vidal (Bayern Munich)

Formerly an all-action enforcer in Conte’s successful Juventus sides, the Chile international would bring steel and dynamism to Chelsea’s central midfield. The likelihood of prising him Bayern Munich’s hands, however, could be slim.

14 possible ins and outs at Conte's Chelsea

<b>In:</b> Radja Nainggolan (Roma)

A suitable back-up plan if Vidal is not a practical target. The Belgium international has the quality to fit in at an elite club.

14 possible ins and outs at Conte's Chelsea

<b>In:</b> John Stones (Everton)

Chelsea’s high-profile pursuit of the defender was ultimately fruitless and, in the time since, he’s shown he’s probably not yet worth Everton’s asking price of £40million. However, with Terry on his way, a centre-back is needed. Will Conte pay the premium on Stones’ potential?

14 possible ins and outs at Conte's Chelsea

<b>In:</b> Andreas Christensen (Borussia Monchengladbach)

The 19-year-old defender is currently on loan in Germany and his current club are desperate to make the deal permanent, so impressive has he been. Chelsea, however, would be foolish to let another talented youngster slip from out their grasp, especially when he could be a cut-price improvement in a key area.

14 possible ins and outs at Conte's Chelsea

<b>In:</b> Juan Cuadrado (Juventus)

Conte’s arrival could be the reprieve that the Colombian’s Chelsea career needs but the question is – does he actually want to move back to the Bridge? After a successful period on loan in Serie A, the league in which he made his name, he may be the one who needs convincing.

Getty

However, they will not enter talks regarding a swap deal involving Diego Costa, despite the striker reportedly favouring a move back to Atletico after growing unhappy with life in London.

Chelsea will also see their financial firepower boosted by the new television rights deal that will kick in at the start of the 2016/17 season, with Premier League clubs expected to flex their muscles in the transfer market when it reopens in the summer.

One person who has warned Griezmann against leaving Atletico though is former France striker Jean-Pierre Papin. The 52-year-old claimed that Griezmann has no reason to leave the Spanish club given they are challenging for all trophies available to them, and believes a move to a club who are not playing in Europe would be unexplainable.

 Griezmann scored for Atletico in the Champions League quarter-finals (Getty) (2016 Getty Images)

“To leave when Atletico play in the Champions League every year, fight in La Liga with Barcelona and Real Madrid and he plays every game wouldn’t make sense,” Papin said last month.

“I wouldn’t understand why you’d leave to have more competition at another club.

Atletico is a great club and I wouldn’t think of leaving in the summer.

“Loyalty is important to Griezmann, and if you’re already playing for a great club, why leave?”

Atletico meet Bayern Munich next week in the first of their Champions League semi-final encounters, with a place in the Milan final next month on the line against either Real Madrid or Manchester City.

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