Real Madrid have been heavily linked with Celta Vigo midfielder Gabri Veiga, but it was a current Real player who stole the limelight on Saturday.
Veiga’s performances have been admired by Madrid and he has attracted interest from the Premier League, which remains his most likely destination this summer. But Celta’s 20-year-old homegrown star could only watch as fellow midfielder Dani Ceballos basked in the adulation of the Santiago Bernabeu once again.
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Veiga has experienced a heady rise this season. The youngster did not even have a contract with Celta’s first team until January, but last week reports were already speculating he could leave for Madrid.
Then, Real head coach Carlo Ancelotti directly spoke about Veiga during his pre-match press conference on Friday. The first time was without being directly asked about the Spain Under-21 international.
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“We have a lot of respect for Celta, who are in a good dynamic, are well-organised and have individuals like Iago Aspas and Veiga,” Ancelotti said.
That led to another question about whether the Italian liked Veiga as a player. “Yes,” he replied. “He is a quality player, like Iago Aspas, and they are doing well.”
Veiga’s name then adorned the front covers of Madrid’s two biggest sports newspapers, Marca and AS, on Saturday morning, with the latter saying he would be on “the catwalk” for Real supporters to admire him.
So it was no surprise Veiga entered the pitch on Saturday with a look of wonder on his face, while he could be seen saying “how beautiful” as he looked around the Bernabeu.
With nine goals and four assists this season, Veiga has been one of La Liga’s breakout stars. He showed flashes of his physicality, personality and technique against Madrid and drew appreciation from the stands after an impressive piece of skill when faced with Antonio Rudiger.
He was replaced around the hour mark by Celta coach Carlos Carvalhal, who said the midfielder had struggled with gastroenteritis, but that did not stop Real fans from speculating as to whether Veiga could make the step up to play for them next season.
Madrid sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity to protect their position, told The Athletic that Veiga is well-liked but he is not a priority for the club this summer. Their main target is Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham — Madrid are battling with Manchester City for the England international’s signature. Dortmund hope they can keep Bellingham for another season, particularly if they win the Bundesliga.
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But Veiga’s contract runs out in 2026 and he is expected to leave this summer for €40million ($44m; £35m), the price of his release clause. His sister, Noemi, has been in charge of his affairs since he split with his previous agency, although various others are vying to represent him.
Jorge Mendes tried unsuccessfully to add Veiga’s name to his roster, while Pini Zahavi, Footfeel ISM and Pere Guardiola — Pep’s brother — are considered the frontrunners to represent him. City have also shown interest in Veiga, which could work in Pere Guardiola’s favour.
Madrid are paying closer attention to other players, not least Ceballos. The 26-year-old’s contract runs out in the summer and, asked if he was close to renewing, sources close to the midfielder said, “Nothing is closed.” He did not want to negotiate with Real’s city rivals Atletico Madrid when they contacted him during the latest international break, as he is determined to stay at the Bernabeu.
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Ceballos’ case has been helped by the support he has received from Madrid fans. It was the same story against Celta when the Bernabeu showed its appreciation for his relentless pressing — even when he did not win the ball.
Supporters also enjoyed his combination play with Vinicius Junior, who has a great understanding with Ceballos both on and off the pitch. It was Ceballos’ inch-perfect pass that set Vinicius Jr clear in the build-up to Marco Asensio’s goal. The midfielder’s name was chanted around the ground after he was replaced in the 81st minute, showing how Madrid fans are still thinking of him.
He finished with a 95 per cent success rate in his passing, all three of his tackles won, seven recoveries and 100 per cent of his dribbles completed. At the end of the game, Ceballos saluted the fans while Veiga looked crestfallen. The Real midfielder had passed another test with flying colours.
(Top photo: Denis Doyle/Getty Images)