Barring an unexpected twist, Saúl Ñíguez will return to Madrid on 1 July. As Goal España has previously reported, Chelsea have no intention of executing the €35 million purchase option in his loan deal.
The Premier League club will pay the €5 million loan fee to Atlético Madrid this season, but the player will have to rejoin Diego Simeone’s squad in July, as he still has a contract with the La Liga club until June 2026.
Chelsea intend to inform Atlético Madrid of their decision in the coming days.
The Premier League side have not yet communicated the news to the Spaniard, according to the report. Speaking about Saúl to Goal, Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel said: “We will talk about it at the end of the season. At the moment, it is a difficult situation for him personally but I like that he still gives his input.
“It is like this in team sports even if it does not make you happy and I am sure he is not, he is still positive and still pushing, he takes care about the quality in training with the group that doesn’t play so much. It means a lot to me and the atmosphere in the dressing room that he stays competitive within the group.
“I don’t have a lot of good news for him when I tell him the line-up. He needs to stay involved mentally and physically, that is what he does although it is not easy. We are very grateful, we also demand it, but it tells us he is a real sportsman.
“For the end of the season, now is not the moment but we still need to fight for qualification for the Champions League and the best possible outcome. We have a final to play. We will talk when it is time.”
