Liverpool appear to have been handed a boost in their reported pursuit of Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez.
According to Mundo Deportivo, via AS , Barcelona have pulled out of a deal to sign the 26-year-old this summer.
The La Liga giants were apparently willing to offer a part-exchange deal to sign Saul, which would have seen Antoine Griezmann move in the opposite direction.
However, the report states that negotiations between Barca and Atletico have broken down and “there is no going back”.
It has been claimed that Griezmann’s wage demands were a major stumbling block in negotiations with Atletico, resulting in the deal collapsing with Barca.
Barcelona need to offload Griezmann in order to fund Lionel Messi’s new contract, the report adds, but a return to the Spanish capital is no longer on the cards it appears.
Atletico president Enrique Cerezo recently provided an update on Saul’s future, saying that there would soon be more news on that front.
Cerezo also admitted that he did not know if Liverpool had made an offer for Saul, but at the same time did not rule out a move.
“I have no idea, they haven't told me anything, I don't know anything,” Cerezo is quoted telling Mundo Deportivo .
“I do not know how the negotiations are, not even if there are, but there is little left for you to know what is going to happen.
“In the world of football everything is possible but in Griezmann's case I have no idea, nor have I asked.”
When asked specifically about Saul, Cerezo said: “A lot of people will ask about all the players, as always, but in this case I don't know if Liverpool has acted.
“We do have a technical service that does it very well and that will be aware of everything.”
Club sources have distanced Liverpool from any current interest in a deal - but Saul is believed to have big admirers inside Anfield, and was close to signing for the Reds back in the Brendan Rodgers era.
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