Antoine Griezmann will reportedly become a Barcelona player before the end of the week after triggering the €120 (£108m) release clause in his Atletico Madrid contract.
The 28-year-old did not report back to training on Sunday as instructed as he has his heart set on a move to La Liga rivals Barca.
However, Spanish outlet AS suggests that the long-running saga may be coming to an end as Griezmann, through his lawyer Sevan Karian, has taken the step to buy out his own contract.
The report claims that the Frenchman's representatives will deposit the payment at the La Liga headquarters in the next 24 hours and Barca will make the move official by Wednesday.
Griezmann is then expected to be unveiled at Camp Nou at a big ceremony on Friday as he becomes the Spanish champions' marquee signing of the summer.
Barca are expected to repay the money in instalments, terms which Atletico were supposedly unwilling to accept.
Daniel Lewis
