Man Utd and Man City will reportedly not face competition from Barcelona for the potential signing of Atletico Madrid ace Saul Niguez.
The 25-year-old has firmly established himself as a fundamental figure for the Spanish giants, as he has featured 37 times already this season across all competitions.
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As a valued leading star in Diego Simeone’s side, Atleti will no doubt have no desire to see the Spaniard leave the club any time soon, but speculation remains rife over his future.
However, according to Mundo Deportivo, both Man Utd and Man City have been handed a major boost as it’s suggested that Barcelona will not look to match any offer for Saul, a right which was agreed upon between the two La Liga sides in October last year.
Both Manchester clubs are specifically noted in the report as being interested, while Saul is said to have a €150m release clause in his current contract, and Atleti expect that to be paid in order to green light an exit for their midfield ace.
Time will tell if either United or City are prepared to splash out that kind of money on one player, as it could ultimately eat into most of their summer transfer budget.
In turn, time will tell how the situation plays out and if Saul will be Premier League bound this summer, or if he will indeed remain at the Wanda Metropolitano with Barcelona perhaps reevaluating their transfer plans next year.
While the likes of Fernandinho and Nemanja Matic aren’t getting any younger, it’s easy to see why Man Utd and Man City are perhaps eager to bolster their midfield options.