Chelsea could decide to sign Saúl Ñíguez on a permanent basis at the end of the season if his loan move pays off, according to reports.
The Blues secured the arrival of the Spain international from Atlético Madrid on a season-long loan on the final day of the summer transfer window, with an option to make the move permanent next year for £30 million.
Despite being linked with West Ham's Declan Rice and AS Monaco's Aurélien Tchouaméni in recent months, the west London side decided to acquire Saúl for the remainder of the 2021/22 campaign.
The Evening Standard report that Chelsea will sign the Atlético academy graduate on a permanent basis at the end of the season if his loan spell proves to be successful in the next 10 months.
Despite being linked with Rice and Tchouaméni in the summer, the European champions passed on the chance to land either of the pair in their hunt for a central midfielder to bolster their squad as they look to compete on all fronts this season.
The west London side were put off by West Ham's valuation of Rice, which has been reported to be around £100 million, which even left the 22-year-old furious, with a move for the England international being reserved for 2022.
Moreover, though there was genuine interest in Tchouaméni among the Chelsea faithful, it was believed that another season in the Ligue 1 could bode well for the French star, who turns 22 in January.
The Blues have made a strong start to the new campaign following a strong start to the previous season as Chelsea raced to a top-four finish and Champions League glory after beating Manchester City in the final in May.
After securing victory in the UEFA Super Cup by beating Villarreal on penalties, the west London side secured seven points out of a possible nine from their opening three league ties against Crystal Palace, Arsenal and Liverpool prior to the first international break of the season.
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