Positional versatility and four ways Man Utd will improve with Saul transfer

Manchester United are reportedly 'increasingly confident' of landing Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez this summer.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is said to be a huge admirer of the 25-year-old, who has a £135million buy-out clause at the Wanda Metropolitano.

Here, we take a look at the four main strengths that Saul would bring to United.

Immaculate technique for United's counter-attacks

Saul is one of the crispest passers in the game and his delicacy with the ball makes him ideal for Old Trafford.

In Diego Simeone's counter-attacking Atletico team, Saul has proved himself to be capable of reliably finding his team-mates with through balls, as well as hitting sharp diagonal passes to spread the play and launch breakaways.

Positional versatility

Saul is not a number ten. He's more of a box-to-box, all-action player, so Solskjaer's tendency to frequently switch formation - between 4-2-3-1, 4-3-3, and 3-4-3 - would suit Saul's versatility.

Where Paul Pogba has never quite nailed down a position, Saul can be deployed in any midfield position, be it left, right, attacking midfield, defensive midfield, or part of a three.

That positional malleability will bring the best out of others, too. Solskjaer will be able to switch formations to accommodate others, safe in the knowledge Saul will slot right in.

Tackling and intercepting

You can't be part of Simeone's two-man central midfield without being able to tackle. Saul's years at Atleti have made him an expert presser and aggressive interceptor of the ball, with neat and disciplined ball recoveries just as likely as charging slide tackles.

These attributes ought to work well at United, who look to play the sort of direct attacking football that Luis Enrique is implementing with Spain. Saul is now a key member of the national side.

United's midfield can lack bite. Alongside Fred, Saul would give United a newfound steeliness.

Passing range and movement to energise the team

We've discussed what Saul is like in the final third and the defensive third, but the numerous small actions he makes in the middle of the park are equally important.

When playing mid-table clubs or lower, United have a tendency to lack the urgency or tempo required to pull defensive shells apart. They are often guilty of allowing games to drift, which is why Saul's tenacity would give them a major boost, lifting his team-mates to higher energy levels.

Saul is an expert at dipping into pockets of space and playing quick short passes to his team-mates, acting as a metronome during prolonged periods of possession.

The difference Bruno Fernandes has already made at Old Trafford shows what individual vitality can do for the dynamism of this team. Adding Saul would bring Solskjaer's side one step closer to challenging for the Premier League title.