{"id":180773,"date":"2026-03-06T14:00:38","date_gmt":"2026-03-06T14:00:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/180773\/"},"modified":"2026-03-06T14:00:38","modified_gmt":"2026-03-06T14:00:38","slug":"antoine-griezmanns-move-to-mls-reportedly-stalls-as-orlando-city-offer-salary-that-nearly-matches-lionel-messis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/180773\/","title":{"rendered":"Antoine Griezmann\u2019s move to MLS reportedly stalls as Orlando City offer salary that nearly matches Lionel Messi\u2019s"},"content":{"rendered":"

Antoine Griezmann<\/a> has been one of the defining names of the 2026 MLS primary transfer window, with Orlando City making a determined push to bring the French star to North America. While the move appears to have hit a significant snag, reports indicate the Lions have tabled a contract offer that would make Griezmann one of the highest-paid players in the league, rivaling even Lionel Messi<\/a>\u2018s earnings.<\/p>\n

With Marco Pa\u0161ali\u0107 and Mart\u00edn Ojeda already in the fold, Orlando<\/a> still have one Designated Player slot to fill as the 2026 season gets underway. Holding Griezmann\u2019s discovery rights and well aware of his long-documented admiration for MLS and American culture, the club has made him their primary target for the current transfer window, which closes later this month. But completing the deal is proving to be far more complicated than anticipated.<\/p>\n

According to ESPN, Griezmann has put his potential move to Orlando City on hold<\/a>. Atl\u00e9tico Madrid\u2019s run to the 2025-26 Copa del Rey final, secured after eliminating FC Barcelona in the semifinals, has given the Frenchman pause, presenting him with the opportunity to end his decade-long association with the club on the highest possible note.<\/p>\n

The Copa del Rey final will pit the Colchoneros against Real Sociedad at La Cartuja in Seville on April 18. That date falls well beyond the MLS<\/a> transfer window deadline of March 26, forcing Griezmann into a decision: commit to Orlando City in the coming days, or wait and explore a summer move instead.<\/p>\n

\"Antoine<\/p>\n

Antoine Griezmann of Atletico de Madrid.<\/p>\n

A massive salary that almost reaches Lionel Messi\u2019s<\/p>\n

In an effort to tip the scales in their favor, Orlando City are prepared to make a significant financial statement. As reported by Matteo Moretto on Radio Marca, the club\u2019s contract offer to Griezmann falls in the range of 10 million to 15 million euros, which works out to roughly 7 million euros net after taxes.<\/p>\n

\"Lionel<\/p>\n

see also<\/p>\n

Lionel Messi\u2019s MLS move won\u2019t tempt USMNT core as brutal truth revealed for Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie with 2026 FIFA World Cup ahead<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

For context, the MLSPA\u2019s 2025 Salary Guide lists Lionel Messi with a base salary of $12 million and a total compensation of $20,446,667. At the top end of Orlando\u2019s reported offer, approximately $17.4 million, Griezmann would sit just around $3 million shy of what Inter Miami\u2019s star earns in total compensation.<\/p>\n

That figure would also place him as the second-highest earner in the entire league. That spot is currently held by LAFC\u2019s Son Heung-min, who carries a base salary of $10.4 million and total compensation of $11.2 million. With Sergio Busquets now retired, Atlanta United\u2019s Miguel Almir\u00f3n sits third at $7.9 million in total compensation, making clear just how extraordinary Orlando\u2019s offer would be for a franchise of their size.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Antoine Griezmann has been one of the defining names of the 2026 MLS primary transfer window, with Orlando…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":180774,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[47194,1660,5692,139,4786,141,140],"class_list":{"0":"post-180773","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-orlando","8":"tag-antoine-griezmann","9":"tag-lionel-messi","10":"tag-mls","11":"tag-orlando","12":"tag-orlando-city","13":"tag-orlando-headlines","14":"tag-orlando-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/180773","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=180773"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/180773\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/180774"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=180773"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=180773"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=180773"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}