Griezmann has emerged as top target for Chelsea following a sensational season with Atletico Madrid (Picture: Getty)

The award for the most ridiculous story of transfer silly season has already been claimed by Antoine Griezmann, who has been forced to deny he was coaching Chelsea on Football Manager.

The France international caused quite a stir on Friday when he was filmed looking rather sheepish having been captured, or at least appearing to have been, tinkering with the tactics of a certain west London-based Premier League side on the popular football management simulation game.

Griezmann claims he was searching for a striker to boost his Lyon squad (Picture: Youtube)

Griezmann is among Europe’s most coveted forwards having scored 33 goals for Atletico Madrid last season, playing a prominent role in their run to the Champions League final.



Chelsea are among a clutch of Premier League heavyweights reported to be monitoring his situation but their hopes of signing the 25-year-old have in no way been enhanced on the basis of his Football Manager preferences.


Indeed, Griezmann claims to have a legitimate reason for deliberating long and hard over Chelsea’s club page; he was simply looking for a striker to enhance his Lyon squad, the team he claims to have been managing.

Antoine #Griezmann : "People talk a lot about me and Chelsea ! So I want to say, I play with Lyon on FM !" #CFC https://t.co/kzI4GMo9JE — Francois Piraux (@F8Piraux) June 18, 2016

With Diego Costa out of Lyon’s price range, quite who Griezmann was contemplating signing is open to question. A word of advice from Metro; avoid Radamel Falcao, Alexandre Pato and Loic Remy at all cost. You’ll blow most of your budget and they’ll spend most of the season out injured anyway!

MORE: Antoine Griezmann spotted playing as Chelsea on Football Manager amid transfer speculation