Spain midfielder Saul Niguez has explained why he struggled at Chelsea in a heartfelt message to Blues fans.
Much was expected of the Atletico Madrid loanee when he arrived at Stamford Bridge last summer, but Saul barely featured for the Blues, starting just five Premier League games.
Saul was hauled off at half-time during his first Chelsea appearance, with Thomas Tuchel later admitting he was well off the pace.
His struggles in west London represented a startling fall from grace for a player who starred in Atletico’s La Liga title win under Diego Simeone last season.
Explaining his struggles and thanking the club for their support, Saul wrote on Instagram: ‘Hello blues, I’m writing to take my leave of you.
‘I would like to tell you how I felt during this adventure. Things didn’t start well at all. After a long time at home, changing everything wasn’t easy.
‘Little by little things got better. Everything in life serves to improve and learn, and that’s what I take from this adventure.
‘I’d like to thank the club for trying to take care of every detail to make me feel at home. I’d also like to give recognition to each staff member, thank you. Thank you for making this club much bigger.
‘Thanks to all the fans for supporting me through thick and thin. I will be forever grateful. Thanks to all the staff for making it possible for me to win trophies with the blue shirt.
‘But above all, I wanted to thank my team-mates. They have been fundamental so that I wouldn’t fall apart. They helped me to continue supporting the team and live a calm and positive day to day. Thank you!’
Saul, who has 19 caps for Spain, will now hope to revive his career back at Atletico Madrid, who finished third in La Liga last season and reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
Towards the end of last season, Blues boss Tuchel insisted he was ‘very grateful’ for Saul’s professionalism and input on the training ground.
‘At the moment, it is a difficult situation for him personally, but I like that he still gives his input,’ Tuchel said.
‘It is like this in team sports that even if it does not make you happy – and I am sure he is not – he is still positive and still pushing, he takes care about the quality in training with the group that doesn’t play so much.
‘It means a lot to me and the atmosphere in the dressing room that he stays competitive within the group.
‘I don’t have a lot of good news for him when I tell him the starting line-up. But he needs to stay involved mentally and physically, that is what he does, although it is not easy.
‘We are very grateful, we also demand it, but it tells us he is a real sportsman.
‘For the end of the season, now is not the moment, but we still need to fight for qualification for the Champions League and the best possible outcome. We have a final to play. We will talk when it is time.’
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