Antoine Griezmann has said there is no way he is quitting the club in January, and explained recent comments in which he appeared to show an interest in joining Paris Saint-Germain.
Griezmann, 26, almost left for Manchester United last summer, before signing a new contract as a FIFA transfer ban meant Atletico could not sign an immediate replacement.
But the France international rejected a suggestion put to him on TV show Telefoot that he already had an agreement with Atletico club chiefs to leave in the winter.
“No,” Griezmann said. “I have not spoken about that with the president. Plus Diego Costa and Vitolo will come in so we will try and keep the team high enough, then those two reinforcements will be good for us.”
Griezmann said that people had misunderstood his off-the-cuff answer when asked last week whether he could play in future with PSG stars Kylian Mbappe and Neymar.
“I did not express myself well,” he said. “In the game ‘yes or no’ they asked me would I like to play with Mbappe and Neymar? I replied yes, but that does not mean I want to go to PSG.”
Griezmann said he had no regrets over his summer decision to remain at the club, despite only scoring three club goals so far in 2017-18, and being whistled by Atletico supporters when substituted in the 0-0 draw at home to Real Madrid on Saturday.
“I’m not sorry for having decided to stay at Atleti,” he said. “I am happy with my choice, even if I have not scored in seven games. I’m happy with my games for the national team, but with the club [just] two or three. There are games in which I’ve not even had one shot at goal. I must work hard at training to find a solution.”
Support InfoStride News' Credible Journalism: Only credible journalism can guarantee a fair, accountable and transparent society, including democracy and government. It involves a lot of efforts and money. We need your support. Click here to Donate