We absolutely love a transfer out of the blue. It’s something that’s all too rare in the modern day, where every last detail of every club’s interest in every player is leaked out drip by drip. It’s like opening the wrapping on your Christmas present bit by bit starting on December 1st – there’s no surprise left to enjoy by the time you actually get to the 25th.
So Chelsea’s move for Renato Veiga was been a real treat. Out of nowhere, Fabrizio Romano announced it as pretty much a done deal last night. It’s meant that the fun of finding out all about him came in one big rush – and Robin Bairner’s piece about him for FootballTransfers is a good place to start.
A versatile player – so where does he fit?
One important starting point is – what position does he play? He’s a defender and a midfielder and is left footed, opening up much of the pitch. Romano said in his Tweet on the matter than Veiga could play left back, centre back or number 6 for Chelsea, while Bairner’s piece points out he’s also been used as a left wing back.
He calls him an “alternative to Riccardo Calafiori,” who is going to Arsenal. In fact, Veiga was bought as Calafiori’s replacement by Basel when the Italian went to Bologna.
“Veiga was used as a central midfielder or centre-back while in Switzerland. During his time with Augsburg, which is when he hit his peak valuation, he had been deployed as a left-back and had much success there…. this is how Chelsea plan to use him,” Bairner explained.
So it’s not entirely clear, but it seems like we’ve got a dream squad player signed up, and it’s a move which brings Ben Chilwell and Marc Cucurella’s futures into question without doubt.