Serie A winners Napoli have bid €30m (£25.8m) for Celta Vigo star Gabri Veiga, who was strongly linked with Arsenal earlier in this transfer window.
That’s according to Fabrizio Romano, who has claimed that the bid has been instantly rejected, with his club holding out for his €40m (£34.4m) release clause.
Veiga, 21, was linked with a move to Arsenal earlier on in the summer window, and the midfielder was reportedly keen on joining Mikel Arteta’s side. However, the arrival of Kai Havertz means that it is now unlikely the Gunners pursue him in this window.
Romano has confirmed Napoli’s interest, and with discussions set to continue, it now seems that the Spaniard will end up in Naples rather than North London.
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Should Arsenal pursue Gabri Veiga?
The midfield sensation is a huge talent, and has been linked with a number of top clubs across Europe including Real Madrid. Carlo Ancelotti described him as an “excellent” player, and it is no surprise that Arsenal had him on their radar.
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Veiga scored 11 times in 36 La Liga games last season, helping save Celta Vigo from relegation, and given his release clause, it is almost certain that he will move this summer.
Whilst he could be a useful addition to the Arsenal midfield, given his superb technique and end product, there is currently no room for him, with Havertz, Declan Rice, Emile Smith Rowe, Martin Odegaard, Fabio Vieira and Leandro Trossard making up an excellent roster of midfielders capable of playing in Veiga’s preferred position as an advanced central midfielder.
There is no doubt that Veiga can go on to become a top-quality midfielder, but it now seems highly unlikely that he will end up in North London, and given Arsenal’s strong options in his position, they may not be too disappointed that they will now miss out on the opportunity to sign him.