Barcelona keeping tabs on Atletico Madrid midfielder for the summer – report

In the summer transfer window of 2021, Barcelona showed immense interest in Atletico Madrid’s Saul Niguez, and were nearly ready to swap Antoine Griezmann for the midfielder.

The transfer did not go through eventually, and the Spaniard moved to Chelsea on a loan move. Antoine Griezmann did eventually join Atletico Madrid and remains there for another season, possibly.

That said, if reports from SPORT are to be believed, Barcelona continue to keep tabs on Saul over the possibility of a summer move. Xavi is said to be an admirer, but more importantly, the 27-year-old could be used as a ‘bargaining chip’ by Atleti to reduce Griezmann’s price.

Saul has faced a lot of criticism since his move to London. He’s played six games in the Premier League, creating no chances and averaging less than a defensive action per game.

His most (and possibly only) notable outing till now in the Chelsea shirt came vs Zenit St. Petersburg, as he made five clearances, blocked two shots, made two interceptions, and four tackles.

It is also interesting to note that because of the incredible competition in the Barcelona midfield already, players like Riqui Puig have been sidelined for several games in a row, and as such, looking for a central midfielder should not be a priority for the club.