24 Aug 2021 11:18:26
Are atletico really willing to let saul move on loan? I'm assuming all wages and there would be a fee plus may have an obligation to buy if true we should be all over it.

{Ed002's Note - They need to get his wages off the books.}

1.) 24 Aug 2021
24 Aug 2021 11:33:10
Cheers Ed hopefully we're trying for a deal.

{Ed002's Note - Right now it is just possible and two other sides are looking at doing something.}

2.) 24 Aug 2021
24 Aug 2021 11:52:58
We're already very bloated in midfield. With Pogba looking to see out his contract and McFred being untouchable, Matic wouldn't have many suitors. I wonder will Van De Beek be released from his shackles?

I don't think Saul would come to sit on the bench.

3.) 24 Aug 2021
24 Aug 2021 12:32:09
Just read an analysis report on Saul fitting in with the Barcelona team. It basically said that he is a jack of all trades, but master of none who would be used as a squad player rather than likely to displace Busquets or De Jong who are special-ists in their roles.

So where would he fit in at United, would Ole drop to one DM of Saul, have Pogba and Bruno as the attaching MF and three up front, maybe Greenwood, Cavani and Sancho, or would he remain with two DM's of McT and Saul with Bruno as the AMF and Pogba, Cavani and Sancho as the front three.

Pure speculation at the moment but an interesting prospect.

4.) 24 Aug 2021
24 Aug 2021 12:49:28
knowing Ole we will spend 60m on him so he can give DVB someone to talk to on the bench.

5.) 24 Aug 2021
24 Aug 2021 12:50:19
On paper he should replace Fred.

6.) 24 Aug 2021
24 Aug 2021 14:43:04
Grim i recently read that he had been used as cm, dm, rb, and rw but saw himself as a deep playing midfielder and wanted to play there thus his wanting to leave.

{Ed077's Note - I think you maybe thinking about Marcos Llorente. He played quite a bit at RB/RWB for Atleti last season. Although he isn't looking for a move away.


BTW Atletico can't afford his wages and bonuses, hence why he wasn't played as much last season. His form and performance were mostly secondary.

For what it's worth I think he is a fabulous player, 2nd best CM in the world behind Kante.

7.) 24 Aug 2021
24 Aug 2021 15:01:18
Ed, is it true that we’ve proposed a loan to to buy deal for Saul?

{Ed002's Note - Chelsea have made a proposal to Atletico but it does not entirely satisfy their needs. Barcelona and Manchester United are both interested but Barcelona need to offer Griezmann and pay half his wages in exchange, or move on Coutinho to free up wages first. Manchester United have spoken with Atletico but it is unclear if they would also be willing to satisfy the needs of Atletico - it will become clear soon.

8.) 24 Aug 2021
24 Aug 2021 15:50:37
Would Atletico be looking for an "obligation" to buy rather than just an option? Is that potentially one of the needs that Chelsea isn't meeting, or more about wages/ loan fee + option price?

{Ed002's Note - They want an obligation to buy on their books.}

9.) 24 Aug 2021
24 Aug 2021 15:03:00
Thanks ed my understanding had been lost in translation lol.

10.) 24 Aug 2021
24 Aug 2021 15:53:32
Ah thank you!

11.) 24 Aug 2021
24 Aug 2021 15:53:56
Do you think the fee would be under 40-45m Euros? I. e. less than Neves?

{Ed002's Note - I don’t know.}

12.) 24 Aug 2021
24 Aug 2021 16:24:47
No worries, thank you Ed, your info on this has been enlightening and clarifying.

13.) 24 Aug 2021
24 Aug 2021 16:35:51
Do they accept that giving Saul a nine year contract might have been a mistake?

{Ed002's Note - it was a contract that had multiple renewals in it.}

14.) 24 Aug 2021
24 Aug 2021 17:38:33
I genuinely think he’ll end up at Chelski due to OGS’ love-in with McFred and insistence that we are sorted in midfield.

However, IF he has both clubs as viable options, you’d have to question whether Chelski would be good for him: Kante, Jorginho, Kovacic all to get past just to get anywhere near the side.

My only hope is that Roma come in for Matic, whilst a VdBeek loan back to Ajax wouldn’t come as a surprise… If those two happened, we’d obviously need one more. But by then, it’ll be too late for Saul.

15.) 24 Aug 2021
24 Aug 2021 17:05:51
Guaranteed renewal as long as conditions were met or unconditional renewal Ed, is that normal practice or was this unusual? Seems a massive commitment from a club, especially if he had a career ending injury.

{Ed002's Note - Any injury would be covered by insurance.}

16.) 24 Aug 2021
24 Aug 2021 20:44:49
Just looked up Player Insurance Ed, they will also include a players yacht as well, different world isn't it.

17.) 25 Aug 2021
25 Aug 2021 01:59:14
I think Ed001 has Yacht insurance on Ed002, incase there is a window ending wordcount injury suffered when reading one of Shappy's posts.

18.) 25 Aug 2021
25 Aug 2021 08:29:32
Dodgy, that's why I always appreciate and thank the Ed's for their hard work, they are after all the only ones who HAVE to read through all my posts😂.

19.) 25 Aug 2021
25 Aug 2021 09:14:06
If we think Saul is the newer then just get it done, for gods sake how hard can it be. take a hit on Lingard, offload Jones for free, offer Matic to Roma, surely there is a way to get this done.

20.) 25 Aug 2021
25 Aug 2021 11:49:12
Downsie you say Saul won’t get in ahead of Kante, Kovacic and Jorginho but surely Saul has got to look at DVB and see a player whos moved for 40m but can’t get a game ahead of a 70y/ o Matic or Fred 😂 not to mention that whether good or not, Utd have 6 or so options at CM.

21.) 25 Aug 2021
25 Aug 2021 13:52:24
Fuser why would he not look at bruno who has walked into the team done well and seen his profile rocket .
The negativity after a draw and obsession with donny is telling .
Negativity is a mind set.

22.) 25 Aug 2021
25 Aug 2021 14:15:41
I think Fuser raises a fair point. Saul is entering his prime years and will expect regular football. Even if we promise him that, the situation with Donny may well cast some doubts in his mind. I’d be very surprised if Donny wasn’t given similar assurances last summer, yet he has barely been given a sniff in the first team.

Saul may think he’s a better player than anyone we currently have on our books in the center of the pitch and see that as an indication that he’d be first choice if he signed, but then most people (probably including Saul himself) think that Donny is better than McFred and that doesn’t seem to have helped his cause one bit.

For whatever reason, the club have treated Donny incredibly badly and have arguably done the same with Pogba when it comes to his many requests to leave. Personally, if I had a choice between two clubs offering the same wages, I’d be looking at this kind of thing when trying to make a decision. Of course, the prospects of winning silverware would also be high on the list, in which case we probably stand no chance if Chelski are serious.