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France superstar Antoine Griezmann has remained consistent about his desire to play in Major League Soccer, and live in the United States, outlining a new timeline in an interview with French newspaper Le Figaro.
"My contract with Barcelona runs until June 2024 and after that I think it will be the right time to go to the United States," Griezmann said. "I love that country, that culture, the NBA, and have a desire to discover it more, although I will also have to think about my family.”
The 30-year-old, who scored his 38th international goal in his 50th consecutive start for France in a 1-1 draw against Hungary at Euro 2020 Saturday, is under contract with Barcelona through the end of the 2024 season.
That could mean an MLS move in the Secondary Transfer Window that year for Griezmann, who also cited the ability to live without the intense microscope he does in France and Spain as a reason he wants to make the move.
"This is also why I love the United States and why I want to go there, because you go unnoticed, which is not the case in France or Spain," he said.
A year ago, Griezmann said he wanted to play in MLS after the 2022 FIFA World Cup. That follows a statement he made two years prior when he told French outlet L’Equipe he wanted to end his career in MLS.
At that time, he did mention David Beckham’s Inter Miami CF or one of the Los Angeles clubs a a possible preferred destination.
“ff he [Beckham] wants me in his club, then I'll go. I want to finish my career in the US,” Griezmann said at the time. “I don't know yet if it's going to be in Miami or LA. They are two great cities. I like the mentality and the show culture of the United States.”
Griezmann isn’t the only Barca star to express a desire to play in MLS, of course. Earlier this month, a report out of Spain detailed the proposed Barcelona contract for Lionel Messi, which would include two more seasons on the field for the Catalan giants, two seasons with Inter Miami CF and six additional years in a yet to be defined off field role.
