---
title: "Liverpool: Reds open Saul Niguez talks"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/liverpool-reds-open-saul-niguez-talks/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "David Comerford"
section: "Liverpool Football Club"
published: "2021-07-10T15:05:15Z"
modified: "2021-07-10T15:05:15Z"
---

# Liverpool: Reds open Saul Niguez talks

**Talks between Liverpool and Atletico Madrid over the potential signing of midfielder Saul Niguez are underway, according to journalist [Ekrem Konur](https://twitter.com/Ekremkonur/status/1413475425637093380).**

### The lowdown

Liverpool may be on the hunt for a new midfielder this summer after Georginio Wijnaldum left to join Paris Saint-Germain at the end of a five-year spell at Anfield.

Saul made [22 starts and 11 substitute appearances](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/112161/Show/Sa%C3%BAl-%C3%91%C3%ADguez) for Atletico in La Liga last season as they beat Real Madrid and Barcelona to the title. However, one potential concern for the Reds may be his discipline: [only seven players in the Spanish top flight](https://www.whoscored.com/Regions/206/Tournaments/4/Seasons/8321/Stages/18851/PlayerStatistics/Spain-LaLiga-2020-2021) picked up more yellow cards in 2020/21 than the 26-year-old (10).

Saul still has [five years remaining](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/saul-niguez/profil/spieler/148928) on his [£207,000-per-week](https://salarysport.com/football/la-liga/atl%C3%A9tico/) Atletico contract, so unless he is willing to take a pay cut, he would become the Reds’ [highest-paid player](https://www.spotrac.com/epl/liverpool-fc/payroll/).

### The latest

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp seems to be the driving force behind the prospective move, having seen Saul [score against his team](https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/51533273) in the first leg of their round of 16 defeat to Atletico in the 2019/20 Champions League.

According to [Konur](https://twitter.com/Ekremkonur/status/1413475425637093380), it is ‘at the request of Jürgen Klopp’ that the Reds have opened talks with Diego Simeone’s side over a move for the 26-year-old.

### The verdict

It would be a surprise to see Liverpool pursue this deal. [In all likelihood](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/liverpool-fc/leistungsdaten/verein/31/plus/0?reldata=%262020), Fabinho, Jordan Henderson and Thiago Alcantara will be the first-choice midfield trio next season, so any new signing would be slotting into a rotational role.

Saul would be pretty expensive for a squad depth option, when someone like [Florian Neuhaus](https://theathletic.com/2652931/2021/06/20/neuhaus-replacement-wijnaldum-liverpool-premier-league/) could be much cheaper in terms of transfer fee and wage demands.

Perhaps signing Saul would lead to the lucrative sale of another midfielder, like the [injury-prone](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/naby-keita/verletzungen/spieler/302215) Naby Keita for instance. Otherwise, it doesn’t seem to make much sense.

**In other news, [these Liverpool fans loved another transfer decision from Jurgen Klopp](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/premier-league/liverpool-fans-love-jurgen-klopp-blocking-phillipe-coutinho-return/).**