Man Utd 'would have to pay astronomical fee to sign Saul from Atletico'

Atletico Madrid are desperate to keep hold of Manchester United target Saul Niguez in January and would demand an 'astronomical fee' to let him go.

Saul is one of the club's brightest academy graduates and has already made nearly 250 appearances for the club's first team.

He has attracted interest from a number of top clubs around Europe, but Mundo Deportivo claim that he won't leave unless a huge figure is proposed.

Manchester United are one of the teams credited with an interest, but the Spanish paper report that the offer would have to be 'impossible to ignore' for Atletico to sell him.

That fee is said to be £128million at the very least, with the Spaniards desperate to keep one of their best players until at least the summer.

United are considering Saul as a potential replacement for Paul Pogba if he is to leave Old Trafford for Real Madrid.

Zinedine Zidane is a huge fan of his fellow Frenchman and the Bernabeu outfit are still being continuously linked with the midfielder.

Saul, meanwhile, is under contract until 2026 in Madrid - another sticking point for any potential suitor - and is settled at his club.

In fact, after coming through the Real Madrid and then Atletico Madrid academy, he has not left the city - even staying close by while on a season-long loan at Rayo Vallecano back in 2013-14.