Chelsea have confirmed Spanish midfielder Saul Niguez will return to Atletico Madrid this summer following the completion of his one-year loan spell.
The midfielder’s time at the London club did not go as planned, making just 23 appearances for the Blues, with 12 of them from the start.
He played the final 45 minutes of Chelsea’s extra-time Club World Cup triumph against Palmeiras, and scored his only Chelsea goal in the FA Cup win at Luton Town.
In a farewell message to the club’s fans, Saul thanked the club for the time and memories;
“Hello Blues, I’m writing to take my leave of you. I would like to tell you how I felt during this adventure. Things didn’t start well at all. After a long time at home, changing everything wasn’t easy.
“Thanks to all the fans for supporting me through thick and thin. I will be forever grateful. Thanks to all the staff for making it possible for me to win titles with the blue shirt.
“But above all, I wanted to thank my teammates. They have been fundamental so that I wouldn’t fall apart. They helped me to continue supporting the team and live a calm and positive day to day. Thank you!,”
Before moving to Stamford Bridge, Saul played 33 times during Atletico’s title-winning campaign in 2020-21.
