In a recent print edition, Mundo Deportivo has claimed that Chelsea are showing interest in signing Saul Niguez this summer. It is understood that the Blues could land the Spanish midfielder for a fee of €80m but will face competition from Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus and Bayern Munich in pursuit of him (transcripted and translated by Sport Witness).
Niguez’s Successful Season At The Wanda Metropolitano Stadium
The Elche-born sensation enjoyed another sensational season at the Spanish capital as he helped Atletico Madrid win the La Liga title recently. Niguez featured in 41 matches for the Spanish outfit last season, scoring two goals and providing one assist in the process across multiple competitions.
The Spaniard has anchored the midfield quite well by averaging 1.7 tackles, 0.6 interceptions and 0.9 clearances per 90 minutes in La Liga. He was excellent when distributing possession from midfield, as evidenced by his pass success rate of 84.4% in the Spanish top tier (stats via whoscored).
The 26-year-old has made himself one of the first names in Diego Simeone’s teamsheet which goes to show just how important a role he has played for the Madrid outfit over the past few seasons.
Will Signing Niguez Be A Wise Move For The Blues?
Niguez is a hard-working midfielder who has a wide range of passes in his locker and can create some decent openings for others around him. He can strike the ball with power and accuracy from long range. The 19-time Spain international can get stuck in with some crunching tackles to disrupt the opposition’s rhythm in the game. He is often quick to react to the danger and can outmuscle the opposition using his strong frame to dominate the game at the centre of the park.
A complete midfielder of Niguez’s skillset will be an excellent signing for Thomas Tuchel if he can agree on a deal to bring him to Stamford Bridge ahead of the new campaign. He will undeniably add a lot of quality to Tuchel’s midfield department and could help the Blues maintain their dominance in European football in the coming seasons.
At 26, Niguez is currently playing at his prime and is good enough to offer some serious competition for Mason Mount, Mateo Kovacic, N’Golo Kante and Jorginho for a place in the Chelsea starting XI. With all things considered, recruiting Niguez will be a wise move for the West London outfit as he is a world-class midfielder who ticks all the right boxes in terms of what’s required to be a success story at Stamford Bridge in the years to come.
