French newspaper L’Equipe have a feature in their Thursday edition on the future of Alexandre Lacazette, and specifically Atletico Madrid’s interest in the player. It’s explained Atletico would be keen to sign Lacazette to please Griezmann, even using it as part of a plan to keep him.
Griezmann is said to be a big backer of the potential transfer, and he’d get to play with his ‘friend at his side’. Lacazette and Griezmann haven’t previously been known as big buddies, and the Atletico player already has a Frenchman at his side in Kevin Gamiero.
Nevertheless, L’Equipe believe it’s a factor, and Atletico have started to make their moves. Manchester United’s interest in Griezmann is of course brought up, and it’s claimed the club made a ‘concrete offer’ in the winter.
That’s curious too, because it wouldn’t be a case of Manchester United making offers, Griezmann will leave Atletico Madrid for his €100m buyout clause. Jose Mourinho taking a punt in 
the January window at less than that would have been pretty much useless, and he’ll have known it.
Perhaps the Manchester United offer was wages, although it certainly doesn’t read like that. Either way, L’Equipe are certain that replacing Griezmann’s actual current French buddy Gameiro with his all of sudden BFF Lacazette will help Atletico keep the player from Manchester United.
They’ve surely got a better chance relying on Madrid’s sunny weather.
