Barcelona favourites to sign out of favour Spanish midfielder – report | OneFootball

Reports from AS this morning bring surprise news as they say Barcelona still remain in the driving seat to sign Saul Niguez from Atletico Madrid.

The initial links between the Spanish midfielder and the Blaugranas began when the club were trying to desperately offload Antoine Griezmann. while Atletico Madrid were ready to accept the player back, a swap deal seemed likely because Koeman saw Saul as a value addition to the midfield.

Since then however, things went haywire. The two clubs could not agree upon a fee nor a fair distribution of wages such ultimately lead to the deal collapsing.

It is true that Ronald Koeman is looking for a more experienced pair of feet in the midfield department to complement the youth. With Miralem Pjanic on the verge of leaving, Sergio Busquets remains the only experienced pillar in the centre of the field.

Georginio Wijnaldum was the first choice to bolster the midfield, but with that deal being hijacked by Paris-Saint Germain, Laporta is still on the lookout for the missing piece. Saul Niguez is one name at the top of the list.

Indeed, Barcelona’s financial situation would make it extremely difficult to sign any more players in the Summer window. However, a couple of departures could well make this rumour a reality. It would be a much required signing for Barcelona, though the understanding would have to be structured such that the player will play only on rotation.