Griezmann heads to the U.S. to seal MLS move
As soccer heads into its international window, Antoine Griezmann is set to take advantage of the break to finalize a transfer to MLS.
Antoine Griezmann will take advantage of the March international break to finalize a deal to join Major League Soccer franchise Orlando City this summer. The Atlético Madrid forward is traveling to the American city to sign his contract and fulfill one of his long‑held dreams: ending his professional career in the United States.
The perfect time
Atlético and Griezmann are fully aligned in believing the striker deserves to leave the club through the front door. As the all‑time leading scorer in Atlético history and fourth in total appearances, this is not a player who should exit quietly. He will leave the right way. Both the club and the player consider this break the ideal moment for Griezmann to settle everything with Orlando City.
This way, Griezmann can stay fully focused on Atlético through the end of the season. When the international break ends, Los Rojiblancos face a Champions League showdown with Barcelona and a Copa del Rey final against Real Sociedad. Griezmann wants to have his mind completely on Atlético and say goodbye with a trophy.
Orlando City, for its part, is waiting with open arms for the Frenchman. They will be getting a franchise player - a World Cup winner and a legend at a club of Atlético’s stature. But the 35-year-old will arrive only after respecting all agreed‑upon timelines. His move won’t happen until his season with the Spanish club is over.
Griezmann to remain linked to Atleti
Griezmann will take a few days off when this campaign ends. He’ll then head to the U.S., where he’ll also serve as an ambassador for Atlético. Club and player have already acknowledged that their paths will formally diverge in a few months, but they will remain forever connected. Griezmann sees Atlético as home - he is a Rojiblanco through and through - and he intends to carry that identity with him to MLS.
The fact that the Atlético forward is traveling now to finalize his agreement with Orlando City is not unusual. MLS transfers tend to be negotiated on different timelines to deals done in Europe. For example, Héctor Herrera also traveled to Houston months before officially playing for the club to lay the groundwork for his move.
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