Chelsea are reportedly set to rival Arsenal, Liverpool and Newcastle United for midfield talent Gabri Veiga this summer after being rejected by Manuel Ugarte, it has emerged.
The Blues were expected to confirm the deal for Ugarte from Sporting, only for Paris Saint Germain to hijack their move for the Uruguayan and leave the Blues emptyhanded. They have now switched their attentions to Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo, while they are also keen on Southampton star Romeo Lavia.
Further forward, however, the Guardian report that the Blues have ‘entered the race’ to sign Veiga, who is wanted by clubs across the Premier League this summer and has a release clause sitting at just 40m euros.
Veiga scored twice against Barcelona on the final day of the season as his Celta Vigo side ensured their top flight survival with a win over the La Liga Champions, and has burst onto the scene this season, with those two strikes taking his total tally to 11 for the campaign.
Celta Vigo do not want to sell the Spaniard, but there is an acceptance that he will leave the club due to the 40m euro release clause that is written into his contract with the Spanish side, and though Real Madrid have left the race for the midfielder there is expectation that Premier League clubs will scramble for the impressive youngster.
“We do not want to sell him under any circumstances but they are going to buy him from us. He will decide where he wants to go but that club will have to pay the clause”, Celta Vigo’s president Carlos Mourino explained.
Havertz Real Madrid bound
Meanwhile, Kai Havertz could well be on the way to Real Madrid.
German striker Havertz, who scored seven times last season, has reportedly ‘told Chelsea he wants a fresh challenge’ amid interest from the Spanish giants in the wake of Karim Benzema’s unexpected departure.
With just two years left on his current contract, he is unlikely to sign a new deal, meaning that Chelsea will want to cash in this summer. The Blues are reportedly set to demand as much as £75m for the attacker, who they bought for a similar amount in 2020.
