Saul Niguez, Atletico Madrid Agree on New Contract: Latest Details and Reaction

Atletico Madrid starlet Saul Niguez has signed a new deal with Los Rojiblancos, putting an end to persistent transfer rumours linking him with clubs such as Barcelona and Manchester United, per Sky Sports' Guillem Balague (h/t Jon Harvey of Metro). 

Tottenham Hotspur were also said to be interested, per AS (h/t David Wright of the Daily Express).

The team shared the news via Twitter:

Per the club's official website, Niguez kept his comments short after signing the new deal and said, "I'm very happy to be able to continue defending this shirt."

Director of football Jose Luis Perez Caminero expressed the club's delight at coming to an agreement with the rising star:

"

We are all very happy with the agreement reached with Saul. He is an excellent football player, who has been trained in our Academy and who reinforces our commitment to the home-grown players. He is at a great moment, but he will still grow much more because he has huge potential.

"

The 21-year-old has been with Atletico since 2008, when he left rivals Real Madrid, and he enjoyed a fantastic breakout campaign during the 2015-16 season.

According to WhoScored.com, the midfielder has scored three goals and provided two assists in this year's UEFA Champions League, playing a key role in the team's run to the final.

Scoring isn't his primary task on the pitch, however, and it's his defensive prowess that sets him apart, per Squawka Football:

His strong form led to plenty of transfer speculation, but a move never looked likely. Per Football Leaks (h/t Marca), Atletico sold 40 percent of his rights to an Irish investment fund in 2011, ensuring they would hold out for a major transfer fee.

According to Niguez's father, his son's former contract contained a release clause of €45 million (£34.9 million), so it was imperative for Atletico to get a new deal sorted to raise that figure.

Jose Antonio Niguez told Deportes Cope (h/t ESPN FC's Dermot Corrigan) his son had no intention of leaving the club, despite reported interest from United.

La Liga blogger Rafael Hernandez assumed his new buyout clause will be significantly higher than €45 million:

Atletico have lost a number of key players in recent years, with the likes of Arda Turan, Radamel Falcao and Diego Costa departing the club in search of massive wages elsewhere. Unlike those three, Niguez is only scratching the surface of his potential, and working out a new deal was one of the team's key objectives this summer.

Manager Diego Simeone decided not to wait that long, rewarding the youngster for his hard work and ensuring he can focus completely on the upcoming Champions League final against Real Madrid on May 28.

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