Antoine Griezmann has said thathe feared that Atletico Madrid head coach Diego Simeone was set to leave the club and take over at Paris Saint-Germain, according to a report inGoal.
The Atletico striker believed that the Argentine would depart the Vicente Calderon stadium in favour of taking up a new challenge at the Parc de Princes.
Simeone's future became the subject of intense speculation after Atletico's Champions League final defeat back in May, with many rumours tipping the 45-year-old to end his stay with his current employers and head to France to replace Laurent Blanc at PSG.
Antoine Griezmann scored his 5th goal in as many Liga games as Atlético moved up to 3rd place with a 1-0 home success. #UCL pic.twitter.com/VqLxo6NDbN
However, Simeone opted to commit his future to Atletico after former Sevilla boss Unai Emery was appointed manager of the Ligue 1 champions.
It was confirmation that was music to Griezmann's ears, and he admitted that he would have been devastated if Simeone had departed the club in the summer.
He told radio station Onda Cero: "I was at the European Championship and in France they were saying that it was almost a done deal.
"I was afraid that he would not be here. I still need to work with him, learn from him. Atleti needs him.
"He told me that he was going to stay, that he was talking to the club and that everything would be fine - that conversation reassured me."
Like Simeone, Griezmann was linked with moves away from Atletico throughout the summer transfer window.
The France international was linked with Manchester United, as well as PSG, after his exploits at this summer's Euro 2016 Championship in his homeland.
The 25-year-old, though, remained with Atletico and has registered five goals in as many games so far this term, with Atletico lying third in the fledgling La Liga standings.
Griezmann now hopes to continue to become a much more rounded footballer - as well as harbouring hopes that football fans and pundits will see him for the player he is, and not compare him to others of the same ilk.
He added: I want to continue to grow with Atletico - the club can achieve great things.
"I try to be the best and give the maximum so that people can say I'm among the top players.
"But I don't want them to compare me to one or the other - I want people to know me for being Griezmann.
"It would be wonderful for me, and for my team-mates at the club and with France, to win the Ballon d'Or. If I don't get it, it means that I just have to continue at this level and keep going."
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