Manchester United confident of deal for Atletico Madrid ace

Manchester United are prepared to break their club-transfer record to sign Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez, claims The Daily Star.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has identified Saul as the ideal midfield signing if United cash in on Paul Pogba this summer.

Real Madrid and Juventus continue to be heavily linked with a move for Pogba, though it has recently emerged the 27-year-old could end up signing a new deal with United.

Nevertheless, United are making plans for life without Pogba and Atletico ace Saul has emerged on the club's radar.

United are not put off by a reported £135M fee and will use the money raised from Pogba's departure to fund a club-record deal for the Spain international.

Saul's current Atletico deal is not due to expire until the summer of 2026 after the 25-year-old signed a nine-year contract with his boyhood club in 2017.

Saul has spent the last five seasons as a first-team regular at Atletico and has regularly been linked with a big money move to Old Trafford in that time.

The Spaniard doesn't score often but has developed a knack of scoring big goals, particularly in Europe. In fact, all 10 of his Champions League goals have been the opening goal of the game.