Atletico Madrid 'open to Saul Niguez exit amid Manchester United links'

Atletico Madrid have reportedly told Manchester United-linked midfielder Saul Niguez that he is free to leave the club should a suitable offer come in.

The Spaniard struggled for regular starts in Atletico's triumphant 2020-21 La Liga campaign, and he was left out of Luis Enrique's Spain squad for Euro 2020.

Despite his recent struggles, Saul has supposedly attracted interest from top Premier League sides, with Man United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool all linked with a swoop.

Now, AS reports that Atletico have given Saul the green light to advance his career elsewhere, so long as a potential suitor coughs up a reasonable amount of money.

The Spanish champions can afford to play hardball over a fee, though, as the midfielder's deal does not expire until 2026 and he reportedly possesses a release clause of €150m (£128.9m).

Saul made 41 appearances in total under Diego Simeone last season, but he only managed two goals and one assist in the Spanish top flight.