Man Utd, Chelsea neck and neck for Atletico Madrid kingpin on verge of leaving
Manchester United and Chelsea are in a fierce race to sign Saul Niguez from Atletico Madrid with a deal imminent, according to a report.
Spanish publication AS, via Sport Witness, claims Saul is now on the verge of leaving Atletico Madrid permanently and is destined to play in the Premier League this season.
The Spain midfielder has been linked with a move to England all summer. Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United are all interested in a deal.
Saul no longer fully fits in Diego Simeone’s plans. Despite starting Atletico’s first two LaLiga games Atletico are open to seeing the midfielder depart for the right price.
Whether they will be able to get the fee they want initially is unlikely. Suggestions from Spain are that a loan deal with an obligation to buy is most likely.
But just who sits in pole position for Saul is open for debate and dependent on which AS article you take in.
Apparently Saul is “very close to leaving Atlético Madrid for good”, with his “destiny being the Premier League”.
And report “the club with the most ballots at the moment is Manchester United, who are beating Chelsea”.
That however changes in an alternative piece from the same source, who report “in the last hours it is Chelsea that has taken the lead”.
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Morata-style deal
It certainly appears that both clubs are fighting over a loan transfer that would see them “take care of the entirety of the player’s wages, in addition to paying an amount for the loan to Atlético”.
The potential deal is likened to the one that took Alvaro Morata from Atletico Madrid to Juventus.
Morata signed on an initial 12-month deal in 2020, with the option for a second season. Juve also have an option to make the deal permanent.
Atletico are hoping to sell Saul for £38m, a fee that has spiked Thomas Tuchel’s interest. Now, according to the Daily Telegraph, an agreement is close between the two clubs.
Manchester United though remain in the race, according to reports in Spain.
READ MORE: Paper Talk: Liverpool in position as PSG change stance over superstar
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