Barcelona Transfer News: Latest Saul Niguez and Javier Mascherano Rumours

Barcelona are in pole position to sign Saul Niguez from Atletico Madrid but face competition for his signature from Manchester United, per Sky Sports' Spanish football expert, Guillem Balague (h/t Jon Harvey of the Metro).

The 21-year-old central midfielder scored the only goal of the game in Atletico's 1-0 UEFA Champions League semi-final first-leg clash with Bayern Munich on Wednesday to cap a wonderful performance and season.

WhoScored.com handed him the Man of the Match award for his European performance:

Opta detailed the statistic that showed Saul's consistency in the competition this season:

Saul has become a key member of Diego Simeone's starting XI due to his high energy, tireless work rate and impressive technical ability. 

Per WhoScored.com, the defensive anchorman—known for both his quick feet and tough tackling—has featured in 42 games in all competitions this term, scoring on nine occasions.

His all-action midfield displays have attracted attention from Europe's elite clubs, and he gained further reverence following his display against the Bundesliga opponent in midweek.

Paul White/Associated Press

Collecting the ball in the opposition's half, Saul dribbled past two players before finding the bottom corner of the net. Per Balague, both Barcelona and Manchester United are interested in signing the player.

The youngster's future at the Vicente Calderon remains unclear due to the status of his "super-agent," Jorge Mendes. The Portuguese representative has conducted a number of the world's most significant transfers, including Angel Di Maria's £59.7 million move from Real Madrid to United, per the Guardian's David Conn.

Saul's Argentinian boss, Simeone, was quoted expressing his delight for the player's personal achievements, per Atletico's official Twitter account:

Per Sport, La Liga heavyweights Barca have a first-option clause inserted into Saul's contract following David Villa's move from the Camp Nou to the Spanish capital in 2013. Should any club bid for the midfielder, Barca will be offered the opportunity to equal or raise the figure. 

The deep-lying playmaker also has a release clause of €60 million, which the club could look to activate should they wish.

Per Balague, Saul's current deal with the Rojiblancos runs until 2020, but he has rejected the latest renewal offer. 

Jean Catuffe/Getty Images

Meanwhile at the Camp Nou, their current defensive midfielder, Javier Mascherano, has rejected a move to the Chinese Super League, per Mundo Deportivo (h/t Sam Morshead of the Daily Mail).

The Argentina international turned down an offer worth a reported £39 million in order to remain with the Catalan outfit, after arriving from Liverpool in 2010.

Per WhoScored.com, Mascherano has made 231 appearances for the Blaugrana and is eager to add to that total by dismissing the bump in pay. 

As stated by Mundo Deportivo, the 31-year-old is so committed to remaining at the club that he refused to take the offer to Barca officials. The versatile player, regularly used as part of Luis Enrique's defence, has a contract at Camp Nou that is set to run until 2018.