Atlético Madrid are in the process of trying to tie Saúl Ñíguez down to an extended contract but negotiations between the player and the club have thrown up a couple of major differences of opinion. The main one is Saúl’s salary. The Atlético board and the player’s agent, Jorge Mendes, and his father, Boria Ñíguez have been in talks over an extension but the pay demands of the 21-year-old – five million euros a season – are above what the club is willing to meet.

Saúl has a contract at the Calderón running until 2020 and this season he has become a key player for Diego Simeone’s side. He could be considered the club’s most-improved player but Atlético do not agree with the player’s wage demands.

Saúl is happy at the club and ideally he would like to stay, but there are suitors abroad watching how negotiations pan out between now and the end of the season. Manchester United and Arsenal are among several clubs who have expressed an interest in Saúl, as have Galatasaray. It is United, though, who seem most willing to stage a serious pursuit of the midfielder, with reports in the UK suggesting the Old Trafford board will happily meet his current release clause of 24 million euros.

Saúl is enjoying his breakthrough season and is in the frame for a place on the plane to France with Vicente del Bosque’s Spain side this summer. Atlético know how important a player Saúl could become and are hoping to reach an agreement, but are at the moment unwilling to bow to the player’s demands.