Atletico Madrid chief executive Miguel Angel Gil Marin has revealed that the future of striker Antoine Griezmann is out of their control.
Griezmann has been a long-term target for Manchester United and was understood to be on the verge of leaving the club last summer before performing a U-turn once Atletico were hit with a transfer ban.
Barcelona are now considered to be the frontrunners for the 26-year-old's signature next summer, and Marin admitted that the club are powerless to prevent Griezmann leaving should his release clause be met.
"Antoine's future does not depend on us. I cannot stand here and comment for certain on what will happen as it is out of our control, but last summer we made every effort to ensure he remained at Atletico," he told reporters.
"This summer, we will try to do the same again as it took us a lot of effort to get these two players (Griezmann and Diego Costa) to be together at the same club.
"We don't want to sell him, whether that is now or in the summer, he is a very important player for us but I repeat, it is not in our hands."
Griezmann's release clause will revert to €100m (£88.9m) next summer after temporarily rising to €200m (£177.8m).
Barney Corkhill
