Barcelona linked with Saul Niguez
As interest for Saul Niguez grows, Barcelona’s decision to have a preferential option on him as part of the David Villa transfer looks smarter by the day.
The recent international break has shown that Spain are a force to be reckoned with, once again, after a disappointing World Cup campaign. Luis Enrique has had an instant impact with a 2-1 win over England and a 6-0 victory over Croatia in the UEFA Nations League. He has given key roles to young players such as Saul Niguez and Daniel Ceballos, who have rewarded him with top individual performances.
Saul scored in both games as part of a new-look midfield which is more direct and aggressive. They see less of the ball due to the defence being heavily involved, but the team as a whole is a lot more threatening and doesn’t fall into the trap of pointless possession, which was the case during the summer.
These performances have increased Saul’s reputation and generated attention around Europe even though he has been doing this on a regular basis for Atletico Madrid over the past few seasons. His goal and performance in the 1-0 win over Bayern Munich in the Champions League semi-finals all the way back in 2016 was an example of his game-changing ability; this shows how long he has been performing at the top level even though he is only 23-years-old.
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According to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona have the first choice of refusal on Saul if another club attempts to sign him as part of the deal to bring David Villa to Atletico Madrid. This puts the Catalans in a strong position because they have to be informed of any bids and they can plan accordingly from that. However, his release clause is €150 million in a contract that runs until 2026, so he certainly wouldn’t be cheap.
He is a top player due to his mixture of physical and technical attributes, but Barcelona don’t need him because he contrasts with the direction the board are taking the club in. There is a clear attempt to move back to their roots with technical midfielders who can provide the control to assert the club’s traditional possession-based philosophy. Summer signing Arthur Melo as well as La Masia graduates Riqui Puig and Carles Alena are examples of this. The Atletico Madrid midfielder would need to be a starter if he was signed, which would come at the expense of the playing time of these other midfielders.
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Saul could be a replacement for Ivan Rakitic as well as also filling the role of Arturo Vidal, which would allow the club to trim down the squad size. However, it would be another costly addition to the side. It also seems unlikely that he would want to move because Atletico and Diego Simeone are the perfect fit for his talents. Therefore, signing him wouldn’t be the best option and Barcelona should let any other club have him if they are willing to pay that release clause as well as a sizeable contract.