Having broken the bank to land a record transfer fee for midfield ace Paul Pogba in the summer, it has still taken Jose Mourinho some time to understand that even Pogba needs a suitable midfielder alongside him to be winning games in the manner that Portuguese demands from his team.
The Red Devils will be in need of midfield reinforcements with a host of departures expected over the coming months. So one could possibly see plenty more comings and goings in the next few transfer windows if the Manchester side are to return anywhere near their past achievement glories.
Saul Niguez and Atletico Madrid team-mate Antoine Griezmann are top of Mourinho’s wishlist when he plans on the step up the overhaul of his United squad.
United have been eyeing Saul since 2014 after he returned from a season-long loan spell at Rayo Vallecano, and since then the talented ball-player has firmly established himself as a key figure for Atletico Madrid and the 22-year-old seen as an ideal replacement for the ageing Michael Carrick in midfield.
It is Saul’s ability to maintain possession and control the tempo of a game, however, that makes the Spaniard such an ideal signing for Manchester United, not forgetting to mention the natural flair and skill that makes a special player is also a quality that Saul has embedded in himself.
His wonder strike sneaked Atletico Madrid past Bayern Munich last season in the Champions League semi-final before they went down to rivals Real Madrid in the final.
Saul made his international debut from the bench in Spain’s 2-0 friendly win over Belgium in September. While France attacker Antoine Griezmann also remains a prime target for Mourinho.