Antoine Griezmann has decided to leave Atletico Madrid at the end of the season, and he will continue his career in the MLS. The 35-year-old, who is Los Colchoneros’ record goalscorer, will take advantage of the international break to define his future, as he readied himself to leave the Riyadh Air Metropolitano.
Earlier this year, Griezmann was the subject of intense interest from Orlando City, who wanted to sign him for the start of the 2026 MLS season. However, the former France international took the decision to see out the remainder of the European campaign with Atleti, who have aspirations to win the Champions League and Copa del Rey.
Nevertheless, Griezmann has now decided that he will fulfil his dream of playing in the MLS, as Marca have reported that he has given the green light to join Orlando City this summer. He will travel to the United States in the coming days to finalise his contract with the Florida-based club, with Atleti having given him permission to do so.
Griezmann will leave Atleti on free transfer
Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Atleti will not make his difficult for Griezmann to leave, as they have already decided that he can leave without a transfer fee being needed – despite the fact that he is contracted at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano until the summer of 2027. They see it as a debt of gratitude for one of the best players in their history, given that he has asked to end his time at the club at this moment.
Griezmann’s influence at Atleti has gradually waned in the last couple of years, so it is probably the right time for him to move on. Nevertheless, he will be a big miss for Diego Simeone, who will now task the club’s sporting director Mateu Alemany to find an acceptable replacement.
