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So ruthless! Griezmann took a 40% pay cut from Barcelona to rejoin Atletico Madrid

So ruthless! Griezmann took a 40% pay cut from Barcelona to rejoin Atletico Madrid

The Frenchman agreed to reduce his weekly income to ensure a return to the Wanda Met in the summer transfer window

Anthony Griezmann returned to Barcelona at Atletico Madrid for a 40% pay cut.

Griezmann unexpectedly returned to Atletico ahead of the deadline, and Barca approved his departure on an initial one-season loan contract.

The Frenchman was one of several first-team players who left Camp Nou in the summer as Barca tried to lower their overall salary costs and he made a big sacrifice to ensure the transfer went smoothly.

What terms did Griezmann agree to?

Griezmann agreed to nearly halve his weekly income to return to the Wanda Metropolitan, where he spent five years before joining Barca in 2019.

Atletico didn't pay anything for the loan, but if Barca sign his temporary contract next summer, they can extend his temporary contract for another year, at which point further payments will be required.

If Griezmann plays at least 50% of the games in the 2022-23 season, Roger Blancos will give Bragglana up to €40 million (£34m/$47m), including a surcharge to make the transfer permanent.

If the 30-year-old doesn't live up to that standard, atletico wouldn't owe Barca anything, but that's only the case if he's seriously injured.

What went wrong with Griezmann at Barcelona?

Two years ago, Griezmann was revered as one of Europe's top strikers when he arrived at Camp Nou, but with a value of 120 million euros (£103 million/$142 million), he struggled to settle down at Barca.

The World Cup winner is often eliminated to accommodate Lionel Messi, who also left the club in the summer before joining Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer and scored just 35 goals in 102 games.

When will Griezmann make his second debut at Atletico?

Griezmann is currently on an international mission to the French national team, but he will report to the Wanda Metropolitan after Tuesday's clash with Finland's World Cup qualifiers.

The seasoned striker is likely to make his second debut for Atletico on Sunday, with Diego Simeone's side headed to Espanyol.