I approved Griezmann’s exit over finances – Koeman

Barcelona coach, Ronald Koeman, has said he approved the departure of Antoine Griezmann knowing the club’s difficult financial situation.

Griezmann left Barca on transfer deadline day for a loan return to Atletico Madrid.

Koeman remarked: “It’s true, but you have to listen to the club and support it at a delicate time in terms of money. Griezmann is a Barca player with a very high contract and for the club it was very, very, very important to let him return to Atlético and not pay more for a three-year contract. And you, as a coach, say you want to help the club, but you need another striker.

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“Antoine’s position is difficult for us to cover, but above all to help the club financially, it was important for him to leave.

“I was not adamant in that sense, because I could have said, ‘No, he won’t move from here’. Yes, it was the same for Griezmann, but with the aggravating circumstance that it happened on the last day, with hardly any time to find a solution. It was a shame. Griezmann had a big contract and if he left he was going to help improve the club’s economic situation. That’s why I accepted his departure.”