Manchester United are under pressure to sign Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez on loan and are believed to be leading the race for his signature.
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Atleti are keen to download Saul this summer and had hoped to sell him permanently, but suitable offers did not come, which prompted the Spanish side to offer him a loan.
Saul to borrow / Quality Sports Images / Getty Images
Chelsea were quickly named potential suitors, and the Blues’ interest is also backed by AS, but according to the Spanish outlet, it is United who make the most noise around Saul.
United, who are said to love Saul, are keen to find a central midfielder who can add a little more to the heart of the pitch. Current options Fred, Nemanja Matic and Scott McTominay have all been criticized for being too defensive, so finding someone like Saul has been on Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s to-do list.
The Red Devils go ahead with talks about a loan that would mean they pay the majority of Saul’s salaries, as well as a significant down payment, and they are the leading challengers for his signature as it stands.
Chelsea are fascinated by Saul but are not actively looking for a new midfielder, although they are said to be aware of the possibility of bringing in someone of the 26-year-old’s quality before the transfer window closes.
For Saul, his top priority is to find a new team that can offer him regular playing time. He had hoped to find it in Barcelona, but talks about a swap deal with Antoine Griezmann broke out after weeks of negotiations.
Sunshine is eager to land Saul / Robin Jones / Getty Images
It has made him push for the Premier League, where United, Chelsea and Liverpool have all kept an eye on Saul.
Liverpool had been advised to try to sign Saul directly earlier this summer, but the Reds’ interest has cooled in recent weeks and it now seems to be a straight shoot-out between United and Chelsea for his signature.
