Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez, who is seen as a perfect replacement for Paul Pogba at Manchester United, could cost £135 million.

Not a day goes by without more speculation about what Paul Pogba’s future holds, and the implications of his potential departure.

The French World Cup winner expressed his desire to leave last summer, and take on a new challenge, but a move never materialised and he remains at Old Trafford.

Appearances have been scarce for Pogba in the intervening period, with some outlets reporting that Manchester United have committed to selling him, while others claim that he could stay after all.

Meanwhile, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been planning for the possibility of life without Pogba, bringing in Bruno Fernandes for an initial fee of £47m.

The swaggering Fernandes had an immediate impact on his new club, inspiring them to a run of six wins from nine games. His impressive form also secured him the Premier League Player of the Month award for February.

Now that Fernandes has settled in, United are believed to be eyeing their next acquisition to strengthen a midfield lacking in quality compared to their rivals.

According to the Daily Star, Atletico Madrid’s Saul Niguez is their main target, and there’s growing confidence within the club that a deal will be completed.

The 25-year-old, who has won 19 caps for Spain, was watched by United scouts as he helped knock Liverpool out of the Champions League earlier this month.

With the exception of a season-long loan spell at Rayo Vallecano when he was a teenager, Saul has spent his entire career at Atletico, making almost 300 appearances for the first team.

A complete midfielder, he can break up play, drive forward from deep and also find the decisive pass.

He is seen as an ideal replacement for Pogba, whose commitment to the club remains in doubt, but it would take a club-record fee of £135m to bring him to United.