Chelsea ‘already asked’ about Man Utd-linked €80m star
Chelsea have ‘already asked’ Atletico Madrid about the possibility of signing Saul Niguez this summer.
That’s according to Mundo Deportivo (via Sport Witness), following reports suggesting the Spaniard is one of the players linked with a move to Stamford Bridge as Thomas Tuchel and Marina Granovskaia look to strengthen the squad after winning the Champions League.
Atletico reportedly want €80million (£68.8million) for the midfielder, but would ‘welcome the sale’.
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Manchester United have been heavily linked over the last couple of years with the Spaniard and a report at the end of last month said the Premier League outfit had ‘knocked on the door’ again.
But it appeared United, Chelsea and other interested parties had missed out on Saul, with a report on Friday claiming Bayern Munich had tied up a deal for the 26-year-old.
RadioMarca claimed ‘Saul has closed his departure to Bayern for 80 million euros’. Someone’s telling porkies.
Saul is under contract until 2026 with Atleti, so the Spanish club are in a strong negotiating position when it comes to the midfielder, especially if the widespread interest is genuine.
He has been key over recent years for Los Rojiblancos, but did play a slightly lesser role this season, making 22 league appearances as Diego Simeone’s men won La Liga.
His lack of game time for the champions led to him missing out on Spain’s squad for Euro 2020, meaning he is available for transfer negotiations in the next few weeks.
Tuchel will be looking to build on his first season success as Chelsea boss, with Roman Abramovich reportedly granting the German a significant transfer budget for him to put his own stamp on his squad.
Tuchel has now signed a new deal with the Blues which will see him remain in London until 2024.
Reacting to the contract extension, Tuchel told the club’s official website: “I cannot imagine a better occasion for a contract renewal. I am grateful for the experience and very happy to stay part of the Chelsea family.”
Chelsea director Granovskaia added: “When Thomas joined us in January there was still so much to play for domestically and in Europe. He slotted in seamlessly and immediately became an integral part of the Chelsea family.
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“Returning us to the top four in the Premier League was crucial, and we could not be happier with our success in the Champions League which crowned a remarkable season at Chelsea.
“We are obviously extremely pleased therefore to retain Thomas for a further two years, and look forward to more achievements in the coming seasons.”