According to Mundo Deportivo, Manchester United are set to face a transfer battle with Manchester City to sign Saul Niguez.
What’s the word?
The Atletico Madrid star has been previously linked with a switch to Old Trafford, but a move to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side failed to materialise back then.
Now, Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo claim that Saul is struggling to reach an agreement with Atletico over a new contract, which has given encouragement to the likes of United and City to potentially step up their interest.
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The report adds that negotiations between Saul and Atletico need to go a long way, and that “clubs that have economic potential” like the two Manchester sides could be ready to sign him.
Tevez 2.0
One of the most high-profile transfer battles between United and City came more than a decade ago, when Carlos Tevez was the man on everybody’s lips.
The Argentine was originally on an extended loan deal at United, and was remarkably successful too, netting 34 goals in 99 games, and lifting trophies like the Premier League and Champions League.
But come the summer of 2009, Tevez chose to reject the option of joining the Red Devils on a permanent basis, and instead made the switch to bitter rivals City – the forward would then go on to enjoy big success at the Etihad too, with multiple titles and cups.
The ‘Welcome to Manchester’ poster surely still rankles in the hearts of those associated with United, and is just a snapshot of why the Red Devils simply cannot afford to lose out on Saul to their noisy neighours.
If Solskjaer and Ed Woodward decide that the midfielder is a priority target, then they cannot lose face and miss out on a player who ends up joining their local rivals. It would be a damning statement on where they are as a club if they suffered yet another embarrassing repeat of the Tevez disaster from 2009.
United must ensure they don’t get to be made foolish with the £81m-rated Saul.