Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) is said to have gained an advantage over Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester City in the pursuit of Celta Vigo’s rising star, Gabri Veiga. The 21-year-old’s future is uncertain after an impressive performance in the 2022-23 season, where he scored 11 goals and provided four assists in 36 La Liga matches.
While Veiga is still under contract with Celta Vigo for another three years, his terms reportedly include a release clause of €40m (£34.3m). This has caught the attention of several Premier League clubs, including Chelsea, Manchester City, and Liverpool. Chelsea sees Veiga as an ideal successor to Mason Mount, who is expected to join Manchester United, and with the potential departures of Mateo Kovacic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, and N’Golo Kante, they are keen to bolster their midfield options.
Manchester City, on the other hand, has already signed Kovacic as a replacement for Ilkay Gundogan, who is rumored to be moving to Barcelona. However, uncertainties surround the futures of Kalvin Phillips and Bernardo Silva, prompting the club’s interest in Veiga. Liverpool, having recently acquired Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister, are also considering adding another midfielder to their squad. Even Barcelona has been linked with an interest in Veiga.
However, according to The Guardian, PSG has entered the race for the highly sought-after midfielder and has swiftly intensified their efforts to secure his signature. While PSG has yet to activate Veiga’s release clause, Chelsea is expected to make their move in the coming days, although their current priorities are Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo.
PSG underwent a significant midfield overhaul last summer with the signings of Renato Sanches, Carlos Soler, Vitinha, and Fabian Ruiz. However, these acquisitions failed to make a strong impression in their debut seasons.
With rumors circulating about a possible departure of Marco Verratti, PSG is actively seeking further reinforcements in midfield. The club is also expected to finalize the signings of Manuel Ugarte from Sporting Lisbon, Milan Skriniar, and Marco Asensio. Additionally, they have their sights set on Benfica’s Cher Ndour and Mallorca’s Lee Kang-in for the upcoming 2023-24 season. Luis Enrique’s appointment as head coach is imminent, following Christophe Galtier’s anticipated departure.
Veiga, a product of Celta Vigo’s youth system, has made 55 appearances for the senior team since his debut at the age of 18 in September 2020. He is currently representing Spain in the Under-21 European Championships and is competent in both defensive and attacking midfield roles. Spain is set to face Ukraine in the semi-finals, with the opportunity to meet either England or Israel in the final.
