Manchester United 's stance on signing Saul Niguez from Atletico Madrid has been made clear.
The Spaniard has been linked with a move to Old Trafford this summer, having also garnered reported interest from Premier League rivals Chelsea and Liverpool as Deadline Day looms.
Recent claims have suggested that Atletico would welcome a loan-to-buy offer for their long-serving midfielder, who has a contract with the Spanish champions until 2026.
The La Liga outfit have reluctantly opened themselves up to negotiations despite manager Diego Simeone wanting to keep Saul after he helped them to the title last season.
It appears he will not be heading to Manchester before the transfer window slams shut next Tuesday, though, after the Red Devils seemingly ended their summer business with the £34million arrival of Raphael Varane from Real Madrid.
The Manchester Evening News claims that a deal for the 26-year-old is 'unlikely' and that Chelsea may well have a free run to sign Saul, who has been disgruntled by his role as a utility man in recent campaigns.
Simeone told AS in July that the versatile man wanted to "feel more important," despite the Argentine insisting that his adaptability is a strength.
"I consider that Saul became Saul by playing everywhere, but he or many of those around him see it as something negative," he explained.
"He is very important for Atletico because he can play as a full-back, right-wing, midfielder.
"He gives us a lot of options to be able to count on him. He is a player who, in that version and playing how the coach needs him to, performs very well."
United have been heavily linked with signing two other central midfielders, Rennes sensation Eduardo Camavinga and Wolverhampton Wanderers' Ruben Neves.
However, the local outlet reports that any signing at all before next Tuesday's deadline would come as a surprise.
Any potential move for a midfielder has seemingly been dependant on Paul Pogba's future, who looks set to stay at the club this summer, despite interest from Paris Saint-Germain.
The 28-year-old's current contract at Old Trafford expires next summer but Solskjaer wants the Frenchman to stay, having registered five assists in two Premier League games to start the season in fine form.
Ahead of Sunday's draw at Southampton in which Pogba was instrumental to Mason Greenwood's equaliser, the Red Devils boss said: "That's gonna be the question every week now until he does [sign a new deal].
"As I've said all the time, Paul is a top player, the talks are between the club and his representatives, I'm not involved in that but he knows how much I care about him and that we want him to play well for us."
On his performance so far in the new term, Solskjaer added: "He's been very good.
"Paul has come in, bright with his own personality, he's worked hard over the summer. He's lean and he's enjoying himself.
"We've seen that Paul wants to contribute," he stated.
"Of course you [reporters] don't see him in the dressing room or in training, but he's really determined and he shows his winning mentality and I'm very impressed with him."
