Chelsea set to allow Saul Niguez to go back to Atletico Madrid after loan transfer and NOT prepared to pay permanent fee

CHELSEA will reportedly allow Saul Niguez to return to parent club Atletico Madrid at the end of the season following his disastrous loan spell.

The 27-year-old midfielder joined Stamford Bridge on a £4.5million loan transfer last summer with a £30m option to buy clause inserted.

Chelsea will allow Niguez to return to Atletico at the end of the season

But Saul has failed to impress during his loan spell and the Blues aren’t willing to fork out the handsome sum to keep him permanently, according to the Express.

The news will be a blow to Atletico who the Express claim wanted to make the option to buy mandatory but weren’t successful.

Not even a stellar performance by the Spanish ace in the Blues’ comfortable 2-0 win over rivals Tottenham in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg a few days ago was enough to sway the club’s hierarchy to reconsider.

According to the Express, Chelsea think that the £30m they’d have to splurge on Saul could be used more effectively on better midfield options.

These alternatives include West Ham star Declan Rice and Monaco’s dynamo Aurelien Tchouameni.

Although it’s been reported that the Blues will only pick one of the pair in order to give Crystal Palace loanee Conor Gallagher the chance to shine in the middle of the park next season.

The Blues don’t want to pay the £30 option to buy clause for Saul as they view other options like Tchouameni as better alternatives

A transfer swoop for Hammers £100m rated ace Rice is also on the cards

And with Palace loanee Gallagher set for his return to Stamford Bridge – there won’t be any space for Saul

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The 21-year-old sensation has been a revelation at Palace this season – hitting the net six times in the Premier League already.

This rich vein of form has seen Palace boss Patrick Vieira compare Gallagher to Blues legend Frank Lampard.

With Gallagher’s return to Stamford Bridge imminent, Tchouameni will be the cheaper option for the Blues out of him and Rice.

The Hammers want no less than £100m for their prized asset, but Tchouameni is said to be valued at a more reasonable £42m.

Plus the Blues will have to battle it out with rivals Manchester United for Rice’s acquisition as the Red Devils have made him their No.1 transfer target.

And the Manchester giants recent run of dismal form will only have intensified their desire to recruit Rice.

The Champions League holders will have a better shot at signing Tchouameni – with main competitors for his signature Juventus dropping out of the transfer race for the French ace.