Arsenal are ‘fixed’ on a move for Atletico Madrid’s Saul Niguez, according to reports in Spain, despite the fact that the 23-year-old has a €150m release clause.
Spanish outlet AS write that Arsenal want the player for next season. Unfortunately that doesn’t look like it’s going to be an easy task.
For a start, it seems like the player wants to remain in Madrid. You don’t sign a contract lasting until 2026 at a club you’re planning to leave immediately. With such a massive release clause, it would be expensive to buy him out of that long contact as well.
Saul is a top midfielder, regularly contributing to the side’s defensive duties whilst also chipping in at the other end. He has six goals and five assists this season, despite his deep role in midfield.
Still, I really don’t see how Arsenal could justify spending €150m on him, given they’ll probably also need to spend on a centre-back and goalkeeper this summer.
This isn’t the first time the media have linked Arsenal with a move for the player. In the 2015/16 season they regularly linked Niguez to the club, until he eventually signed a contract extension just before the summer.
Arsene Wenger ended up bringing in Granit Xhaka in the following window instead. From the looks of things, this summer is probably going to go in a similar way.