Last weekend saw some measure of order and normality returned to the Spanish La Liga. Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Atletico Madrid are all back in the top-three, something that hasn't exactly been the norm this season. Real and Barcelona are leading the way, with 21 points apiece in the league standings. But Atletico Madrid are only two points back and seem to be finding their way after a somewhat disappointing campaign in 2014 2015, but where does Antoine Griezmann fit into the statistics?

Griezmann: One of the Brightest Talents in the La Liga

Atletico's not-so-secret weapon this season? Antoine Griezmann. The 24-year-old Frenchman joined the Mattress Makers last season on transfer from Real Sociedad. And while Atletico couldn't keep pace with Barcelona or Real Madrid in terms of wins or goals, Griezmann at least was firing on all cylinders.

Indeed, despite starting his career as a midfielder and not a forward, Antoine still scored 22 goals in 37 league fixtures-tying with Barca's Neymar as the third most prolific scorer in the entire league. He netted less than half of what Cristiano Ronaldo scored (48) and just over half of Lionel Messi's total (43) but was highly impressive nonetheless. Unsurprisingly, Antoine has moved to the center forward position since coming to Madrid.

Ultimately, Griezmann scored nearly a third of Atletico Madrid's goals for the 2014 2015 La Liga season, single-handedly keeping the defending champions in the top-three. He's playing that role again for the 2015 2016 football campaign. In Atletico's season opener against Las Palmas, Griezmann scored the only goal to give the Mattress Makers a 1-0 win. On September 22nd, he gave Atletico another win, netting both goals in a 2-0 home victory over Getafe. And on October 18th, he netted a goal just nine minutes into an away game at Real Sociedad to give his team an early burst of momentum.

Antoine's game-making performances have extended to the Champions League as well, where the Mattress Makers are currently leading the way in Group C. In Atletico Madrid's first UCL match of the season, Griezmann scored two goals in the first 25 minutes to beat Galatasaray.

A Hot Commodity

Unsurprisingly, Antoine's dynamite performances with Atletico Madrid have caught the attention of other football clubs abroad. The 24-year-old forward is currently in the midst of a six-year contract with the Mattress Makers-a contract he signed in June 2014.

In other words, the ball will be firmly in Atletico's court for whether or not Griezmann transfers elsewhere at the end of the current season. However, the Spanish soccer club could be encouraged to sell if a bidding war should transpire-something that certainly seems like a possibility at the moment.

Indeed, right now, the rumor mill has indicated interest for Griezmann at numerous soccer clubs-most of them in England. One rumor says that Louis van Gaal is eyeing Antoine as a possible replacement for underperforming center forward Wayne Rooney. Other rumors suggest that Griezmann has been highlighted as a potential savior for Chelsea FC's lagging offensive line,
or a sterling addition to Arsenal's workmanlike football squad.

Any of these transfers would be interesting to see. However, at this point, it seems more likely that Antoine Griezmann will stick around at Atletico Madrid for a few more years. The Frenchman spent five seasons with Real Sociedad before joining the Mattress Makers, and it's unlikely that Atletico are going to want to let go of someone who is currently their clear star player.

At 24, Griezmann has already made 264 senior club appearances and scored 83 goals. He's netted 31 of those goals in just 63 games with Atletico Madrid. There's no telling what sort of numbers Antoine could manage between now and 2020, and it's likely that the Mattress Makers will recognize that fact and choose not to sell.

With both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi rumored for departures from the Spanish La Liga this summer, could Antoine Griezmann be the league's next big celebrity? Connect with us on social media to share your thoughts on the subject! You can find us on multiple social channels including Facebook, Instagram, and Google +.