Saul Niguez was not planning to leave Atletico Madrid and he was surprised that the Spanish club decided to send him on loan to Chelsea on transfer deadline day.
The 26-year-old Spanish midfielder stressed that he was not happy that Atletico Madrid did not give him the chance to say a proper goodbye to the club’s fans before the club sent him on loan.
Saul Niguez described Atletico Madrid‘s decision to let him leave as a gamble that might help him to return to his best. He also described the last three years in Madrid as difficult years for his family.
Saul Niguez is a product of the Atletico Madrid youth system. He gained promotion to the club’s senior team on July 1, 2013. He spent the 2013-2014 season on loan at Rayo Vallecano and returned to the club on June 30, 2014.
Since then, he has been a regular figure at the club. In the 2020-2021 season, Saul Niguez played a prominent role in helping Atletico Madrid to win the La Liga title ahead of Real Madrid and FC Barcelona.
Last season, he played 41 games out of 42 games for Atletico Madrid. In the games, the Spanish international scored two goals and provided 1 assist.
Due to his abilities in the game of football, the coach of Chelsea, Thomas Tuchel jumped on the offer to bring him to Stamford Bridge on loan. Saul Niguez is expected to compete with N’Golo Kante, Jorginho, and Mateo Kovacic for a starting shirt in the midfield this season.
Based on the loan deal that brought Niguez to Chelsea, the Premier League club have the option to buy the Spanish midfielder at the end of this season for just £30 million.
“A player of my name and going out on loan is a gamble,” Saul told IbaiLlanos on Twitch. “It doesn’t make any sense, honestly.
“It’s an investment in me. It’s a gamble to get back to being me. These last three seasons have not been easy for my family and me.
“The pity is that I have not been able to say goodbye to the red and white fans, explaining my version of how I feel and how I have felt.”
Even though Saul Niguez was not expecting to leave Atletico Madrid on loan this summer, he has already accepted his fate and he is looking forward to a successful Premier League season.
The 26-year-old midfielder hopes to win a Premier League title with Chelsea, the 2020-2021 UEFA Champions League winners.
“When a team wins the Champions League, you already know how strong they are,” Saul told Chelsea’s official website.
“But when you face them, you realize how hard they work. They understand each other perfectly, you can see that by their results.
“I have joined the team to help, to try to improve the team and to win titles. I think the Premier League will be really beautiful this year.
“But I want to try to win it, and I think I am in the best team to do it.”
Saul Niguez and his love affairs with Yaiza
Saul Niguez will spend his one-season loan at Chelsea with his long-time girlfriend, Yaiza. The footballer and the Spanish damsel have been dating since 2015.
Despite living together in the same mansion in the Spanish capital, Madrid, all these years, they are not officially married yet.
However, Saul Niguez and Yaiza’s relationship has produced a baby girl. The girl named Africa Niguez was born on February 26, 2021, in Madrid.
