‘Reality check’ – Player heading for Chelsea exit, has ‘learned lesson’ and grown up

Saturday’s edition of Marca has a story on Saul Niguez’s future, or otherwise, at Chelsea.

The Spaniard arrived from Atletico Madrid on loan in the summer, having become frustrated under Diego Simeone. He thought the manager wasn’t giving him enough chances in his preferred midfield role, and didn’t like having to fill-in in wide positions.

Saul was clearly offered to multiple Premier League clubs throughout the summer, as had also seemed the case previously, and at the end of the market, Chelsea took the bait.

Quite why the footballer thought it would be easier to cement a central place with the Champions League winners, in the Premier League, far from all he’d learned about football, isn’t clear.

Anyway, it hasn’t worked out, and Marca make clear Saul will be heading back to Atletico in the summer. His attitude will be key in deciding whether he’ll then stay at Los Rojiblancos or be sent elsewhere.

It’s stated the footballer has had a ‘reality check’ at Chelsea, will have been forced to grow up further, has ‘learned his lesson’, and it should therefore be easier for Simeone to play Saul wherever and whenever the manager wants.

Ouch.