Former Chelsea midfielder Saul Niguez is getting some praise for his current season with Atletico Madrid.
The 28-year-old has had some up and downs since his loan to the Stamford Bridge side in the 2021/22 season, and is finally finding redemption at the La Liga club.
As Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone this week spoke to Dazn, and was asked about Saul, he mentioned the midfielder’s time at Chelsea. The quotes come from Mundo Deportivo.
“It is a reward for humility, for work, for not giving up. He went through difficult years, it didn’t go as he would have wanted at Chelsea, he didn’t play as long as he wanted when he returned, but he never stopped working and being positive and this ends up paying off,” Diego Simeone told DAZN.
“When someone gives himself, we give him the opportunity. He took advantage of it, he is coming in from the second line, assisting and I hope we can keep him at this level. All the work in recent years deserves this moment.”
Chelsea spent €5m to sign Saul from Atletico Madrid on a year-long loan in 2021. The midfielder never really managed to have a long sequence of starts with the Blues, and left the club with just 23 appearances, scoring one goal in an FA Cup clash against Luton Town.
It was straightforward when he returned to Spain and there were questions about his future, with a fresh exit seeming a possibility for the player.
Saul still has a long-term contract with the Colchoneros, running until 2026, and doesn’t seem to have a reason to leave the club anytime soon.
