Transfer News: Chelsea loan star Saul Niguez is set to return to Atletico Madrid
According to Marca (h/t Football.London), Saul Niguez would be returning to his parent club despite Chelsea retaining an option to buy him at the end of the season.
The Spaniard’s overall display in the blues shirt has been below average. He worked with the coaching staff in an attempt to adapt to different positions on the field.
However, apart from a handful of matches, he hasn’t been able to give convincing performances. In recent weeks, Saul Niguez has fallen from the pecking order and the future does not bode well for him in London.
Saul Niguez joined Chelsea in the summer of 2021. The Spaniard is supposed to be staying at the club until June 2022. It is fair to say that his spell at Stamford Bridge has been underwhelming and we have seen just the shadow of a player he once was.
Even though Chelsea has the option to extend his stay, it is improbable that the Blues would be keeping him unless something dramatic happens in the last few matches. It makes sense to bring in another player who can contribute to our cause.
What went wrong for Saul Niguez?
Saul Niguez was a crucial player for Atletico Madrid before coming to Chelsea. He scored 43 goals and gave 20 assists in 340 matches for the Spanish team, reflecting his influence at the top level. He has certainly digressed since then.
Apart from influencing the midfield, Saul was a hardworking player who showed great effort in every game for Diego Simeone in every match.
His failure to adapt to the system in the Premier League could be termed as the biggest reason for his degrading form. Before Chelsea, he had never played for a team outside Spain. He played six seasons under Diego Simeone, which was a completely different system than Thomas Tuchel.
Not only Saul but several foreign players also struggle to blend in with the Premier League. The problem could be managed with extended time.
But, considering the league’s competitiveness, it seems our team wouldn’t be able to afford him for another season. Current news suggests that Saul’s return to Atletico is inevitable.
However, losing a midfielder would cause pressure on the Blues’ other crucial stars. Earlier this season, an injury crisis ravaged our team, resulting in poor results in several matches, which might have affected our chances of winning the league.
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In order to avoid such instances, we need quality backups in the team. Along with foreign talents, our coaching staff should focus on Blues academy players. Current stars like Reece James, Mason Mount, and Callum Hudson-Odoi rose from the youth setup. Hence there might be several raw potentials waiting to be discovered.