Potential destinations for Saul - ranked
By Tom Gott
A regular in the rumour mill, Saul Niguez and his nine-year contract at Atletico Madrid are the stuff of transfer legend.
Before this summer, any interest in the Spanish midfielder had swiftly been rebuffed and a £100m+ price tag slapped on his head, but these days, things have changed and it seems as though Saul could be on his way out.
After some fruitless negotiations with Barcelona at the beginning of the window, the pool of clubs interested in a deal is getting smaller.
Most recently Saul has been offered out on loan, but where could he be heading?
5. Bayern Munich
Saul is open to leaving Atletico after growing frustrated with a lack of consistent minutes, so why would he ever want to join Bayern Munich?
In Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka, Bayern have one of the best midfield pairings on the planet, and while they would obviously rotate with Saul, the Spaniard would still spend a lot of time on the bench, and we know that would be a problem for him.
Factor in the fact that Bayern are keen to avoid spending too much money this summer, and you'll see why this one isn't happening.
4. Barcelona
Barcelona need a new face in midfield after missing out on Georginio Wijnaldum, and if they can't convince young Ilaix Moriba that the spot is his then Saul is an excellent option.
There's a place for a box-to-box midfielder at Camp Nou, then. However, after negotiating for so long and not reaching an agreement - Antoine Griezmann had been tipped for an Atleti return in a potential deal - this move is probably dead.
The clubs could return to the negotiating table in January, though, provided Saul does not find a new home before then.
3. Liverpool
Having lost Wijnaldum, there is a hole in the heart of the Liverpool midfield - one which could grow if the uncertainty surrounding Jordan Henderson continues to circle.
Not only would Saul be a good fit in Liverpool's midfield, he would also help bring the average age of the squad down. Should he join, only Curtis Jones and Naby Keita would be younger in midfield.
It's the kind of deal Liverpool need to make. The Reds have long been interested in signing Saul and should be able to snag him permanently after a loan move.
2. Manchester United
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has already shaken things up at Old Trafford this summer as he bids to restore Manchester United to their former glory.
The end is likely nigh for McFred, the defensive duo of Fred and Scott McTominay, and somebody like Saul would make lot of sense in midfield.
United's main concern is financial. It's not that they couldn't afford Saul, but they would need to move some fringe players on before completing a deal. 90min understands that signing Saul's Atleti teammate Kieran Trippier is a more pressing concern as well.
1. Chelsea
Chelsea could do with another midfielder to strengthen their depth, and Saul could be the perfect stop-gap.
Thomas Tuchel has his preferred duo in Jorginho and N'Golo Kante, so anyone who joins would have to accept a similar role to the one Saul currently holds at Atletico.
Chelsea are looking for someone a little younger in the long-term, with West Ham's Declan Rice and Monaco's Aurelien Tchouameni two prominent targets.