Saul Niguez joins Gareth Bale on the books of the Stellar Group agency

Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez has signed for the Stellar Group — the agency of Real Madrid‘s Gareth Bale.

Spain midfielder Saul, 24, has been a long-term target for Manchester United who first watched him as a 19-year-old out on loan at Rayo Vallecano.

The midfielder signed a nine-year contract two years ago that will see him stay at Atletico until 2026 if he sees it out.

Atletico Madrid midfielder and Spain international Saul Niguez has signed for the Stellar Group

The Stellar Group was the sports agency behind Gareth Bale’s 2013 transfer to Real Madrid

But his buy-out clause of €150m is not beyond the reach of Europe’s top clubs and United’s interest has persisted beyond that apparent long-term commitment to the team coached by Diego Simeone.

Saul almost moved to England when he was a teenager, telling Sportsmail in an interview in 2017: ‘Fulham wanted me when I was 16. They were in the Premier League at the time with Mark Hughes and I was close to going.

‘I could go from the Atletico B team to the Premier League. I felt ready to make that jump. Thank God I never went and that I am where I am today.’

Stellar Group’s acquisition of Saul will see him join a host of England internationals including Jesse Lingard, Jordan Pickford, Luke Shaw and Kieran Trippier.

Stellar Group were responsible for the biggest Premier League to La Liga transfer in history, when they took Bale to Real Madrid for €100m in 2013.

They also opened a Munich office last year and Forbes named them the eighth most valuable sports agency in the world. 

Saul is a long-term target for Manchester United and the midfielder has a €150m buyout clause

Bale and Saul in action during this month’s Madrid derby at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium