Griezmann to Stay at Atletico Madrid Until Summer

Orlando City's pursuit of the French forward put on hold as he commits to finishing season with La Liga club.

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann has confirmed that he will remain with the Spanish club until at least the end of the current season, dashing Orlando City's hopes of signing him during the MLS primary transfer window. Griezmann, Atletico's all-time leading scorer, said his 'idea is to stay until the end' of the season, which includes the Copa del Rey final against Real Sociedad on April 18.

Why it matters

Griezmann's decision to stay at Atletico Madrid is a setback for Orlando City, who had been in advanced discussions to sign the French international. The MLS club holds Griezmann's MLS discovery rights, giving them the first claim on signing him, but will now have to wait until the summer transfer window to potentially revive the move.

The details

Orlando City sporting director Ricardo Moreira had traveled to Spain multiple times in recent weeks to work on a potential deal for Griezmann. However, the 34-year-old forward has now confirmed he will stay at Atletico Madrid until at least the end of the current season, including the Copa del Rey final on April 18. Atletico coach Diego Simeone expressed his happiness with Griezmann's commitment, saying he hopes the team can 'finish this season in an extraordinary way' with the veteran striker.

  • Griezmann confirmed he will stay at Atletico Madrid until the end of the season on March 10, 2026.
  • The MLS primary transfer window opened on January 26, 2026 and closes on March 26, 2026.
  • The Copa del Rey final between Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad is scheduled for April 18, 2026.

The players

Antoine Griezmann

A 34-year-old French forward who is Atletico Madrid's all-time leading scorer with 210 goals in 484 games across two spells at the club.

Diego Simeone

The head coach of Atletico Madrid, who expressed his happiness with Griezmann's commitment to the club for the remainder of the season.

Ricardo Moreira

The sporting director and general manager of Orlando City, who had traveled to Spain multiple times to work on a potential deal to sign Griezmann.

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What they’re saying

“I'm really good here, enjoying myself a lot. What I do on the pitch speaks for me by itself. We'll see but the idea is to stay until the end, and then others can speak.”

— Antoine Griezmann (Movistar TV)

“I'm very happy with how Antoine is applying himself. He knows how important he is for Atletico Madrid's history. I hope he can finish up as he deserves, in the best way possible, and that we can help him by finishing this season in an extraordinary way.”

— Diego Simeone, Atletico Madrid Head Coach (Post-game press conference)

What’s next

Orlando City will likely revisit a potential move for Griezmann in the summer transfer window, which opens on July 13, 2026 and closes on September 2, 2026.

The takeaway

Griezmann's decision to stay at Atletico Madrid until the end of the season is a blow to Orlando City's hopes of signing the French forward during the current MLS primary transfer window. However, the MLS club still holds Griezmann's discovery rights, giving them the first claim on signing him when the summer transfer window opens.