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Spanish international Saul Niguez has hinted that he could be wearing the number 17 shirt whilst at Chelsea during the 2021-22 season.
Speaking on Ibai Llanos' Twitch stream right after his Chelsea move, Saul accidentally hinted that he would be selecting the number 17 shirt which he wore during his initial years at Atletico Madrid.
In this regard, Saul said:
“It’s a number I had at Atletico Madrid, it’s a number I like. I had it at Atletico. I had it in my early days.”
Saul also revealed that he had a chat with Thomas Tuchel who has assured him that he will be playing in central midfield. It was one of the reasons why Saul opted for a move to Chelsea.
“Chelsea has promised me to train in my position, to play we will see. To return to certain customs that I do not do now, that is the most important reason for my decision."
Saul Niguez's move to Chelsea came very late on the deadline day. There had been a period of uncertainty over the move during the dying moments of the window. However, the paperwork arrived moments before the deadline to confirm Chelsea's second signing after bringing Romelu Lukaku for £97.5 million from Inter Milan.
Chelsea have agreed to pay a loan fee of £3.4 million with a chance to make the move permanent in 2022 for just £30 million.
Saul Niguez is excited to play for Chelsea
Saul Niguez is looking forward to starting a new challenge at Chelsea and is excited to represent the European champions. Saul told Chelsea's website:
"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!"
Saul Niguez will take the whole international break to get used to his new surroundings at Chelsea. The 26-year-old midfielder has not been picked in Spain's squad to face Sweden, Georgia and Kosovo in the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.
According to the Express, Niguez is expected to arrive in London on Wednesday to meet some of his fellow Chelsea colleagues who are also not traveling for international duty.
The Blues have finally added some much-needed depth in midfield. Saul Niguez will now complement the likes of N'Golo Kante and Jorginho in midfield which will allow attacking players like Mason Mount and Kai Havertz to play in a more advanced role.
Also Read: David James' column - Ranking the 5 greatest full-backs of all time
