Saúl Ñíguez

[Ekeke]

Theres been a lot of talk about Oliver Torres in the last year or so, but Atletico Madrid have this slightly even younger midfielder out on loan this season at Rayo Vallecano. He started their game this weekend and was by all accounts one of the star performers for the team alongside Bueno as they beat Elche 3-0. He set up the opening goal of the game for Bueno and it was an all action performance where he had 2nd most touches in the game with a 91% pass accuracy, but also made 4 tackles and 3 interceptions making him the highest ball winner for his team too.

Whether he can consistently perform to that kind of level or not, well its a tough ask for an 18 year old. But he's already shown he's one to keep an eye on this season and can apply himself to all aspects of the midfield game, not just be a luxury player only interested when his team has the ball.

Here's where he's heavily involved in setting up the opener this weekend for Bueno

 

[Ekeke]

Arsenal find themselves on the back of the Sunday People tomorrow, with a suggestion from Alan Nixon that the Gunners have already held talks with an up and coming Spanish midfielder.
Saul Niguez, a 19-year-old midfielder, is being tracked by the Gunners and Chelsea and looks to be one of the up and coming stars in Spain.
Currently on loan at Rayo Vallecano, Niguez has appeared for Spain at all youth levels and is exactly the type of player Arsene Wenger usually plunders at a young age.
Whether Atletico would sell Niguez to either Arsenal or Chelsea seems unlikely but this is not the first time the two Premier League sides have been linked with an asset from the joint La Liga leaders

Could be something to it

 

[Vato]

Better call Saul.

 

[RoadTrip]

Better call Saul.

 

[Nighteyes]

Better call Saul.

 

[jojojo]

He's playing now Getafe V Rayo, on a foggy Madrid day

 

[jojojo]

Through the fog, dimly, he appears to be playing centre back.

 

[Sean_RedDevil]

He's playing now Getafe V Rayo, on a foggy Madrid day

Phil Neville is at the game.

 

[jojojo]

Phil Neville is at the game.

Interesting. Was he at OT yesterday or did he do the Atletico-Barca match as well? I wonder if he'll go up to see Sociedad - Villareal on Monday, a couple of interesting (to us) players in that one.

 

[Robbie Boy]

His brother Aaron was highly rated as a youngster while at Valencia, never lived up to his potential.

I have seen very little of Saul, but from what I have seen, he looks a good technical player with a promising future ahead of him.

 

[jojojo]

His brother Aaron was highly rated as a youngster while at Valencia, never lived up to his potential.

I have seen very little of Saul, but from what I have seen, he looks a good technical player with a promising future ahead of him.

Clever tactic playing him at centre back if Phil was there scouting for midfielders. Rayo would have a really hard time replacing him.

Of course, the Rayo manager may have reckoned without the fact that a midfielder who can be a centre back is the kind of thing another squad with a lot of injury problems would like as well.

 

[Ekeke]

Aaron Niguez never really looked very good to me and didnt pull up any trees on loan at Rangers.

As for Saul Niguez, he's rated as Vallecano's best player this season and its very interesting that Arsenal and Chelsea look to be battling it out for him, while we're scouting him too. Could be a big coup for somebody

 

[thegregster]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...hampions-consider-midfielder-Saul-Niguez.html

Manchester United’s search to bolster their midfield took a new twist after coach Phil Neville was spotted scouting Spain under-21 international Saúl Ñíguez in action for Rayo Vallecano against Getafe on Sunday.

 

[Everest Red]

Oliver Torres, Koke, and Niguez. Atletico are just stacked. Remember they had a similar group of highly rated young goalies once?

 

[Nickosaur]

De Gea and Asenjo?

 

[#07]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...hampions-consider-midfielder-Saul-Niguez.html

Manchester United’s search to bolster their midfield took a new twist after coach Phil Neville was spotted scouting Spain under-21 international Saúl Ñíguez in action for Rayo Vallecano against Getafe on Sunday.

This may need to move to the transfer forum now, although it seems Phil was in Spain for a general chat with all our Spanish scouts given that he's supposed to have spoken to our people there about Herrera, Koke, Illaramendi and Isco as well. Bit surprised by the last one, Isco is not leaving Madrid any time soon.

 

[Kill 'em all]

Signing young Spanish talent may be one of our safest or most reliable options of getting a central midfielder because we seem to be left behind when going for players who are already well known. I've never watched Saul play so I couldn't tell if he's good enough to start for us. Would he make an impact in our team?

 

[jojojo]

I only occaionally watch Rayo and I'll certainly make no claim to remembering this guy.

What I can tell you is that Rayo are a fluid passing team, that play good quality possession based football but have trouble scoring and defending. Hence they're bouncing round the relegation zone. To give you an idea, they were the first team in years to get more than 50% possession against Barcelona - but they still lost 4-0. if you played 89 minutes of that as a video and skipped the goals - you'd have no idea of the score.

By all (press) accounts he's having a very good season, often been their MOTM and is only 19 - though you wouldn't guess that from either his appearance or his performance.

Having heard we were being linked I watched as much I could of the Getafe-Rayo game, but amusingly, (if Phil was there looking for a midfielder) when I was watching they played him as a centre-back. He's played there a couple of times as Rayo desperately try to put together a defence that doesn't leak goals - they kept a clean sheet.

 

[Ekeke]

Yeah I havent seen him in a CB performance yet. Having that versatility can only be a good thing especially at his young age

 

[Robbie Boy]

Playing at centre back shows that he obviously isn't afraid of the physical side of the game. Did anyone catch the match the other day and see how he performed in that position?

 

[jojojo]

On the other hand, here's a scouting report from someone on him:
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...ted-target-saul-niguez-better-than-paul-pogba

Which is gruesome reading for aspiring Saul muppets

 

[Ekeke]

On the other hand, here's a scouting report from someone on him:
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...ted-target-saul-niguez-better-than-paul-pogba

Which is gruesome reading for aspiring Saul muppets

Funny. Seems a bit weird complaining about a 19 year old midfielder having a touch that went to an opposing player or that he's not great in defence when he's a midfielder. He's a kid that top clubs are looking at because he might be good enough, not because he's already playing top class football

 

[Nighteyes]

What kind of CM is he?

 

[Ekeke]

What kind of CM is he?

Can pass, tackle and be used at CB. Something along the lines of a very young Carrick

 

[jojojo]

Funny. Seems a bit weird complaining about a 19 year old midfielder having a touch that went to an opposing player or that he's not great in defence when he's a midfielder. He's a kid that top clubs are looking at because he might be good enough, not because he's already playing top class football

It's a brutal summary but fascinating to see someone create worst of gifs and a lowlights video. I had a bit of a "Did he run over this guy's dog," reaction when I read it.

It's interesting though, in as much as it places him in the monitoring category rather than the "Buy now and Fix your Season" box. Which seems a fair point.

 

[Ekeke]

It's a brutal summary but fascinating to see someone create worst of gifs and a lowlights video. I had a bit of a "Did he run over this guy's dog," reaction when I read it.

It's interesting though, in as much as it places him in the monitoring category rather than the "Buy now and Fix your Season" box. Which seems a fair point.

Oh for sure, I think that would have been a ridiculous expectation of him. But no doubt one that some posters would have, considering he's Spanish and a midfielder. I also thought it was pretty amazing the effort hes put into making him seem like a pub player, but I think this guy is a supporter of a rival club? (to United) Still, clearly he's made mistakes and isnt ready for Spain's team yet

 

[Ekeke]

So he played at CB again tonight in another poor performance from Rayo in a 2-0 defeat, but having a man sent off in 18 mins. I didnt see the game but whoscored suggests he made a mistake for one of the goals. Perhaps moving him to CB in recent games was a mistake not that Rayo were any good before that, but at least he was playing well individually.

 

[Ekeke]

After a less impressive run at CB - but still Rayo's best CB, he's returned to central midfield for the last 2 matches, big wins against Valencia at home and Real Sociedad away and he's played well in both.

He's the closest thing to the next Busquets that Spain have coming through

 

[Ekeke]

A goal and assist today for Atletico Madrid Vs. Real Madrid, after coming off the bench. Not bad for a 20 year old coming on for 60 minutes to replace Koke

 

[Bob Loblaw]

Aye. He barely plays but he was fantastic today. Great goal especially.

 

[izec]

Didnt Moyes scout him last season?

 

[Ekeke]

Didnt Moyes scout him last season?

Think so. Not sure Atletico were willing to sell him though and thats definitely been proven the right choice

Played well as a DM last season on loan, decently at CB, and now he's able to play an attacking role in midfield and score a bicycle against Real Madrid

Just waiting for him to play keeper

 

[Decotron]

 

[JoaquinJoaquin]

He is a good talent, although I'm not sure where his future ultimately lies. He is certainly good enough to be a valuable member of the squad but it looks like he may be overtook in the pecking order by Oliver Torres next season as he is playing well at FC Porto.

 

[Ekeke]

He's completely different to Oliver. He can defend, and he's doing a good job at Atletico while Torres is off on loan, even though Oliver is older.

Saul will probably be the end of Mario Suarez rather than competing with Oliver for the Koke/Arda/Garcia wide CM and creative roles

 

[PvsNP]

Saul is Simeone's type of player, someone he can mold into the kind of midfielder that suits his team perfectly. I don't see that in Oliver, even though he is undoubtedly talented. As said above, they are completely different players too.

 

[JoaquinJoaquin]

He's completely different to Oliver. He can defend, and he's doing a good job at Atletico while Torres is off on loan, even though Oliver is older.

Saul will probably be the end of Mario Suarez rather than competing with Oliver for the Koke/Arda/Garcia wide CM and creative roles

Saul is better defensively but Oliver is better at making things happen, and will therefore probably get the midfield nod ahead of Saul a lot next year, because I can't see Simeone using Oliver in the number 10 type role. Although I do agree in the games Mario Suarez won't play in he may get games at that point in the DM position.

Then again I could be completely wrong and Oliver could be sold in Summer and therefore this discussion is disregarded.

 

[Ekeke]

Saul is better defensively but Oliver is better at making things happen, and will therefore probably get the midfield nod ahead of Saul a lot next year, because I can't see Simeone using Oliver in the number 10 type role. Although I do agree in the games Mario Suarez won't play in he may get games at that point in the DM position.

Then again I could be completely wrong and Oliver could be sold in Summer and therefore this discussion is disregarded.

Koke is a vastly superior creative CM than Oliver Torres, who can also defend, and Simeone plays him wide

This is how he wants to play. He doesn't want his playmaker in CM, he wants his central midfield to be as solid as possible and let the 2 wide players and the 2 forward players create for him.

There is absolutely no chance Oliver Torres fits that profile of central midfielder.

Oliver will have to adapt to Simeone's tactics of playing creative attacking midfielders out wide, or he'll have to convert to a forward like Raul Garcia and Greizmann.

Saul does fit that profile and so he will compete with the others who fit that profile - Tiago, Suarez, Gabi. Saul has had a few more oppertunities coming on for Koke or playing a role on the side when asked to and those games might go to Oliver when he comes back, thats true. But those are just oppertunities to get some extra playing time for Saul, he's a DM who can play CB. Not an AM who can play wide

 

[izec]

Didnt he also play as a CB on loan? Maybe he will end up there long term, probably DM though. I agree that he wont compete with Oliver for whatever position.

 

[Ayoba]

Sorry this is the only thread I could find for him in the football forum.

It seems like he's in the wilderness at Chelsea. After this poor 1st half on his debut, he's not been seen since! Highly rated as I recall, what happened to him? How was his last season at Atletico?