The importance of Chelsea’s signing of Saul Niguez highlighted hours after the transfer deadline expired

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With the transfer deadline looming to the last minutes, Chelsea’s work isn’t done. A deal was agreed to bring Saul Niguez from Atletico Madrid but the paperwork was not finalized. More time was needed.

So at 10:58pm, just two minutes before the transfer window closed, Chelsea submitted a deal sheet to the Premier League. That gave them an extra two hours, and that’s not required.

At 11.45pm, Saul’s season-long loan move to Stamford Bridge was confirmed. Chelsea strengthened the weakness of Thomas Tuchel’s team.

“We welcome Saul to the club and believe he complements our squad as we compete for prizes in five different competitions this season,” club director Marina Granovskaya told the club’s website.

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“He is a proven winner, a very experienced player and we know he will be well suited to the challenges that will confront us on all fronts in the year ahead.”

Saul traveled today to London after this step. Training with the Blues’ first team, which has been exhausted by international call-ups, is expected to begin in the coming days.

The signing of the 26-year-old gave Tuchel the fourth midfielder he lacked after Billy Gilmore’s loan departure earlier out the window for Norwich City.

Of course, Mason Mount, Rhys James and Trevoh Chalobah can fill the void if necessary. Ruben Loftus-Cheek remains part of the first team as well. However, running the season with only three outside midfielders – N’Golo Kante, Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic – felt the risk.

One injury would leave Chelsea lightly. Two and suddenly there will be a big problem to solve Tuchel.

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That’s why the importance of Saul’s signature was highlighted within 24 hours of his move to Stamford Bridge.

On Saturday, during Chelsea’s 1-1 draw with Liverpool, Kante was substituted in the first half due to an injury he sustained during the challenge to Sadio Mane. The Senegal international fell on his French ankle, the same ankle he injured in preparation for the European Super Cup.

Kante managed to start the game in Belfast last month, but later missed the Premier League’s opening game against Crystal Palace and was not fit enough to come off the bench against Arsenal the following week.

The fact that the 30-year-old has only completed 45 minutes on his Premier League debut would be a worry for Tuchel. Injuries, albeit small, have become a recurring topic for Kante over the past two seasons. Not that they slowed him down when he was on the field.

Kante needed a chance to recover and rehabilitate during the international break. His return today from the French national team would give him a rare opportunity to do so. It’s something he will definitely benefit from.

Tuchel knows that Kante’s minutes have to be managed this season. Just as it was recently. Saul will certainly help achieve that, perhaps even as early as the confrontation with Aston Villa after the international break.

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