Manchester United secure 'agreement' with Antoine Griezmann over £85m summer move

Manchester United have agreed a deal in principle with the representatives of Antoine Griezmann to sign him from Atletico Madrid in the summer, reports say.

Citing sources at Old Trafford, Yahoo Sport said United had the "basis of an agreement in place" to sign the France international in a deal that is likely to go close to breaking the world record £89m ($113m) the Red Devils paid to sign Paul Pogba from Juventus last summer.

The source said Atletico were open to selling Griezmann as long as United made no attempt to sign him in the January transfer window.

Discussions between United and Atletico over the 25-year-old's future reportedly got underway towards the end of last year.

The Daily Telegraph says United will offer Griezmann a contract worth around £15m a year – the same as Pogba.

The Frenchman has more than four years left on his contract with Atletico and has an £85m buy-out clause. He will be offered the iconic No 7 shirt vacated by Memphis Depay if he joins United in the summer, according to Yahoo Sport.

Griezmann revealed in an interview last year that he was constantly asking his French teammate Pogba about life at United under Jose Mourinho.

"I always ask Paul Pogba about Manchester United. I think they are a huge club with a really good infrastructure," he said.

"I ask Paul about some of the players, and if they're really that good, or if Jose Mourinho is really that good.

"You hear a lot of things [speculation] about Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain but right now I don't see me moving to a new club. But it would be awesome to play alongside Paul one day."

Mourinho revealed this week that he had already started to make plans for the summer transfer window.

"I know what I want, so there is no point in me speaking about the next transfer window when we have so many matches to play, so much to fight for, so many good players to work with," he was quoted as saying by Goal.

"If you ask me 'do I know what I want for the next transfer window?' yes I know. Is it possible to get? I'll try, always, to be realistic."