Reports: Manchester United prepare €150M offer for Atletico Madrid star

What’s the rumour?

Spanish publication Ok Diario has claimed that Manchester United are making plans to win the race for Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez, who has a release clause of €150 million - an amount his suitors are ready to offer.

The report further states that the 23-year-old could be the subject of a summer battle between the Red Devils, Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid, all of whom are willing to secure his services.

In case you didn't know...

Saul Niguez was a part of the Real Madrid youth setup from 2006-08 before he decided to join their bitter rivals Atletico Madrid. Having made his for Los Colchoneros in the 2011-12 Europa League against Besiktas, he shot to fame in the 2014-15 season as he became a fixture in the club's starting lineup.

Previously, he was also being reportedly pursued by Barcelona this past summer, but the Catalan giants turned their attention elsewhere.

The heart of the matter

One of the most integral components in Diego Simeone’s squad, Saul made headlines last year when he opted to sign a new nine-year deal with Atletico that sees him at Wanda Metropolitano until 2026.

As for Manchester United, the club's talisman Paul Pogba has been heavily linked with a potential move to Barcelona over the past few weeks, which has forced the top brass to ponder over his replacements. The Spain international will be an excellent addition to Jose Mourinho's side as his commendable work-rate and passing ability in the middle could come in handy for the Premier League outfit.

Rumour probability/rating: 4/10

While the eye-watering sum required to land Saul renders this deal far-fetched, we could very well see the Spaniard at the Old Trafford if Paul Pogba seeks a move away from the club.

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What's next?

Only time will tell if any of the above-mentioned clubs lodge an official bid to activate Saul's buyout clause.