Griezmann signs 5-year contract with Barcelona

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — France forward Antoine Griezmann has signed a five-year contract to complete his move to Barcelona from rival club Atletico Madrid.

Griezmann and Barcelona club president Josep Bartomeu signed the deal Sunday before the player’s official presentation at Camp Nou in his new No. 17 blue-and-burgundy shirt.

The 28-year-old Griezmann helped France to win the World Cup last year. In five seasons with Atletico, he won the Europa League and reached a Champions League final.

He will now join an already world-class attack led by Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez.

Griezmann had a contract with Atletico until 2023 with a buyout clause of 200 million euros ($224 million), but the clause automatically fell to 120 million euros ($134 million) on July 1.

Barcelona announced it had paid 120 million to free Griezmann from his contract on Friday, but Atletico is demanding that Barcelona pay the full 200 million euros because they believe that the player had already negotiated the move to Barcelona before July 1.