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Published 23:16 3 Apr 2019 BST
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At one point the versatile Saul seemed likely to join Manchester City, but it appears Pep Guardiola has his eye on his midfield partner Rodrigo Hernandez, typically shortened to Rodri, who operates as more of a deep-lying playmaker for Simeone's side.
Since joining Atletico from Villarreal over €20 million (£17m) last summer, Rodri has established himself as a key player at the Wanda Metropolitano as the press-resistant fulcrum between defence and attack. Such is his composure and vision on the ball comparisons to Barcelona's own midfield octopus Sergio Busquets come easy, but Rodri is better off the ball and more physical when winning it back.
For Guardiola, he couldn't have designed a better long-term replacement for Fernandinho had he several disgraced Russian scientists and a laboratory at his disposable, as Rodri comes with all the technical ability and nous required to play as Pep's lone defensive midfielder. Even better for City, his own release clause of €70 million (£59 million) is not only affordable but a positive bargain in comparison to the other prices being floated for frankly inferior midfielders.
At only 22-years-old he still has the ability to improve under Pep and would suit the team far more than Saul, who, for all his versatility and technical quality of his own, would be better playing the roles currently occupied by the likes of David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan in the team rather than holding at the base of the midfield.
Whether both clubs will get their men remains to be seen but whatever happens, Atletico are set for an important summer after already selling World Cup-winning defender Lucas Hernandez to Bayern Munich for a club record €80 million (£68 million) and facing uncertainty regarding the futures of long-term key players such as captain Diego Godin and talisman Antoine Griezmann, let alone Saul and Rodri.
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