Saul’s agents, ICM Stellar Sports, arrive in the UK today to hash out their client’s future with Liverpool and Manchester United reportedly in pole position.
Georginio Wijnaldum’s move to PSG means that the Reds have lost a senior midfielder and need to find a replacement this summer.
This website has been almost dedicated to writing about this matter over the last couple of months and it still seems as though Liverpool are no closer to signing the Dutchman’s successor.
LIVERPOOL, UNITED KINGDOM – DECEMBER 1: Georginio Wijnaldum of Liverpool during the UEFA Champions League match between Liverpool v Ajax at the Anfield on December 1, 2020 in Liverpool United Kingdom. (Photo by Richard Sellers/Soccrates/Getty Images)
Liverpool, who are by no means broke, must sell to buy and with 17 non-homegrown players, cannot register another without selling.
Xherdan Shaqiri seems likely to follow Marko Grujic and Taiwo Awoniyi as Liverpool’s non-homegrown departures this summer but they were never in the club’s Premier League squad.
If the Swiss international joins Lazio soon, it would free up funds to sign a new player and the requisite quota to sign a player from outside the UK.
All that said, the Mirror’s Tom Hopkinson reports that Saul Niguez hopes to have his future sorted out this week and British giants Liverpool and Manchester United are in pole position.
VALLADOLID, SPAIN – MAY 22: Saul Niguez of Atletico de Madrid celebrates winning the La Liga Santander title after victory the La Liga Santander match between Real Valladolid CF and Atletico de Madrid at Estadio Municipal Jose Zorrilla on May 22, 2021 in Valladolid, Spain. (Photo by Pedro Salado/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
The report goes on to claim that the player’s agents are flying into the UK today to negotiate on behalf of Atletico Madrid for £40m – ICM Stellar Sports have been given the blessing of Atletico Madrid bigwigs to negotiate a move for their man.
They are due to fly to England today. While both sides are supposedly in ‘pole position’, Man Utd are in the ‘box seat’.
Liverpool are also keen and ‘proposals will be sought from both clubs in a bid to tie up a deal quickly.’
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – MARCH 11: Gini Wijnaldum of Liverpool and Saul Niguez of Atletico Madrid during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg match between Liverpool FC and Atletico Madrid at Anfield on March 11, 2020 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)
Signing Saul for £40m would be an incredible move from Jurgen Klopp and much like it took months for Thiago to get his switch to Anfield, the same might happen for his compatriot.
The pair of them together under the lights together in front of fans would be a sight to behold but with the clock seemingly ticking for Michael Edwards, let’s see if he can get one over Manchester United.
Liverpool fans will be seething if they fail to make any more signings this summer but they will be even more livid if they miss out on a massive target to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
