Saul has up until now spent his entire club career in Madrid in his native Spain, having begun his youth career at Real Madrid before switching to Atletico.
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Chelsea have officially announced the signing of Saul Niguez from Atletico Madrid on a season-long loan deal, with an option for a permanent transfer at the end of the season. The 26-year-old midfielder has up until now spent his entire club career in Madrid in his native Spain. Saul began his youth career at Real Madrid before switching to Atletico, with one loan spell at another capital city club Rayo Vallecano.
“I am very excited to start this new challenge with Chelsea. Blues fans, I am one of you now and I can’t wait to wear the shirt, start training and see all of you. See you soon,” said the footballer.
Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia hailed Saul as a player who is a proven winner with huge experience.
“We welcome Saul to the Club and believe he completes our squad as we compete for honours in five different competitions this season. He is a proven winner, a player with huge experience and we know he will be very well-suited to the challenges that face us on all fronts in the coming year,” she stated.
Saul has played 447 matches and scored 53 goals during his stint at Atletico Madrid. He won the Europa League twice, the Copa del Rey, the Spanish and UEFA Super Cups, and as recently as last season, the league title in his homeland. Saul played 33 of the 38 La Liga games in 2020/21 and scored twice as Diego Simeone’s side beat Real to the title by two points.
They were less successful in the Champions League however, with the footballer starting both games of the round of 16 tie against Chelsea which the Blues won 3-0 on aggregate. The previous time the two clubs were drawn together in the competition, was in the group stage in 2017/18. Saul was also involved and he opened the scoring with a header in the encounter at Stamford Bridge before an own-goal ensured the match ended in a draw.
Chelsea went on to play Barcelona in the knockout stages that season, while Atletico Madrid dropped into the Europa League although they went on to lift that trophy. Saul scored a further three European goals in the campaign, against FC Copenhagen and home and away against Lokomotiv Moscow. Arsenal were defeated in the semi-final and Marseille were comprehensively thrashed by three goals to nil in the final. Saul played the whole of that encounter.
The footballer’s contribution to the earlier season when the Europa League was won, in 2011/12, was his Atletico Madrid debut when he came on in a win at home to Besiktas. His appearances increased to 11 the following season. After a La Liga loan to Rayo Vallecano in 2013/14, Saul became a regular selection back at his parent club the following year and remained so.
Antoine Griezmann has joined Atletico Madrid from FC Barcelona initially for a loan for a season with the option of a further season. The Madrid club will pay the player’s wages and there is a compulsory permanent transfer clause.
