Antoine Griezmann says he keeps an eye on Manchester United matches to see how fellow France star Paul Pogba is performing.
Pogba, who returned to Old Trafford in August in a world-record deal worth an initial £89million, has struggled to hit top form under Jose Mourinho so far this season despite scoring his first goal for the club in the 4-1 thrashing of Premier League champions Leicester City.
Griezmann has himself been linked with a possible move to United and has started the campaign in top form for Atletico Madrid, scoring six goals in as many LaLiga matches.
And the 25-year-old admits that he will watch Mourinho’s side in action in order to see how his international team-mate is faring.
“We get on very well,” he told L’Equipe. “The Euros brought us even closer – he’s a really nice guy.
“We send messages, Snapchats. When he plays for his club, I try to watch to see if he’s had a good game or not.”
Griezmann claimed the Golden Boot at Euro 2016 after notching six goals and two assists to help to fire the host nation to the final, where they were beaten 1-0 by Portugal.
But the Atletico forward says he does not yet feel like a leader within Didier Deschamps’ side and instead considers Patrice Evra and Hugo Lloris to be the players who lead by example.
“On the pitch, he [Evra] always gives everything, he talks or shouts when he has to,” he said. “In the dressing room, he encourages everyone, he has the right words at the right time. That’s the sign of a leader.
“We have different personalities today. There’s Hugo, for instance, who doesn’t speak too much because he’s more reserved. But when he speaks, there’s a silence in the dressing room.
“Then you have Paul, who’s speaking out more and more.
“I try to be pretty cool, to relax… I’m someone who loves to have a laugh. I don’t feel like a captain right now.”
COMMENTS