Saul Niguez. If not for Tiago Mendes' leg break he'd be running around the Premier League today - in a Red shirt.

Before Mohamed Elneny, there was Saul. Just last month, Atletico Madrid had settled on a fee with Arsenal and agreed to sell their 21 year-old midfielder in January.

With Francis Coquelin ruled out for months, Jack Wilshere showing no clear signs of a return and fitness concerns for Mikel Arteta and Santi Cazorla, Arsene Wenger needed a midfield signing - and had settled on Saul. Thanks to his agent, Jorge Mendes (who else?!), everything was in place. But then Tiago, the former Chelsea midfielder, suffered a leg fracture in action against Espanyol. Atletico coach Diego Simeone put his foot down. And the transfer to London was off.

Since then, Wenger and Arsenal have moved on. Elneny filling the void left by the protesting Simeone. But Premier League interest in Saul hasn't dried up. Now it's another Red shirt which he could be pulling on - that of Manchester United.

Mendes has been contacted and relayed United's interest to both Atletico and the player.

"The buyout clause is €45 million," declared Saul's father, Boria. "Now the boy is happy at the club and does not want to leave.

"He has the coach's confidence."

Indeed, Saul is regarded as one of Cholo's lads. One of the few from Atletico's academy system to win the trust of the ever-demanding Simeone. A free-scoring midfielder with an eye for the spectacular, Saul also reflects the qualities of a typical Simeone team - a bustling, hard-running box-to-box midfielder. And one never to shirk a challenge.

One Atleti observer told Tribalfootball.com: "We've seen more established players used and then discarded by Simeone. Players the club have signed specifically to play in Saul's position. But the coach has dumped them for him.

"Saul just hasn't let Cholo down."

It wasn't always like that. After a successful season away on-loan with Rayo Vallecano, Saul's return was anything but smooth. Mendes was tapped by good friend Peter Lim, who had just bought Valencia, and was eager to make Saul among his first signings. With his close Premier League ties, Lim knew Saul was on the radar of several English heavyweights and asked Mendes to test the ground.

"It was close," recalls Boria.

"There many teams interested.

"We did try to leave the club. He needed more minutes to continue his progression from the last year with Rayo. So, naturally, we asked to leave because we did not think he'd get the minutes he deserved.

"But then the coach spoke with him. He said he would get his chance and must have patience. So we stayed."

Simeone was good to his word - as was the club, which rewarded Saul with a new, five-year contract last year.

"My dream is to work to be an irreplaceable player. I want to play every game, every minute with Atletico Madrid," says Saul. "Being able to wear this shirt is something very important to me. I've been here since I was 12 years old, everyone has behaved very well with me, people took care of me and I am grateful."

It was that care that prevented Saul from being lost to Atletico. Jose Alfredo Fernandez has known the midfielder since he first joined Atletico as a 12 year-old and admits they almost lost him due to homesickness.

"I am excited to see him and others succeed. I also give thanks. I met him at a difficult time before he was 13. He played in Madrid but was not having fun. We must remember that Saul was a boy of residence, living away from home, and his intention was to sign with Valencia or Villarreal.

"It's a tough level. But Saul made it. I am proud of him and happy for his parents. I always told him he was capable of great things.

"Saul has emerged because he has always grown up in adversity, because he can handle pressure like David de Gea and Koke."

United's interest this month is anything but sudden. Saul and his family knew all about United scouts watching him way back when he was playing for Rayo.

"What can you do?" he reacted at the time, "I can only focus on Rayo. It doesn't flatter me that United are watching. I am here to play for Rayo."

Now United are back. Yet, despite Atletico's willingness to sell last month, the attitude and focus of Saul remains the same.

"I am proud to wear the Atletico shirt," he says. "All I want to do is to play every minute of every game and give my maximum for Atletico."