Chelsea have confirmed that Spanish midfielder Saul Niguez will return to Atletico Madrid this summer after completing a one-year loan period.
The midfielder’s time at the London club did not go as planned, as he made only 23 appearances for the Blues, 12 of them from the start.
He played the last 45 minutes of Chelsea’s Club World Cup victory in extra time against Palmeiras, scoring his only goal for Chelsea 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.
“Hi Blues, I’m writing to take my leave of you. I’d like to tell you how I felt during this adventure. Things didn’t start well at all. After so long at home, changing everything wasn’t easy.
“Thank you to all the fans for supporting me through thick and thin. I will be forever grateful. Thank you to all the staff for giving me the opportunity to win titles in the blue jersey.
“But above all, I wanted to thank my teammates. They were key to not falling apart. They helped me continue to support the team and live calmly and positively day in and day out. Thank you!”
Prior to moving to Stamford Bridge, Saul played 33 games during Atletico’s title-winning campaign in the 2020-2021 season.
