14 June 2023 , 08:30
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Celta Vigo midfielder Gabri Veiga has spoken about the ‘messy’ speculation surrounding his future in the summer transfer window.
Veiga has attracted attention by scoring 11 goals and registering four assists in 36 matches during the 2022/23 campaign for Celta. He has clubs circling due to the fact his contract contains a €40million (£34.4m) buyout clause.
According to Sport, Liverpool are ready to meet that buyout clause and provide Veiga with a bumper contract in order to beat off competition from Newcastle and Real Madrid. The 21-year-old is preparing to compete for Spain at the Under-21 European Championship in Romania and Georgia this summer and is trying to block out the rumours.
“I’m not here to talk about my future, only my present. I want to be in the final [squad] of the Europeans,” he said at a press conference. “It’s been a bit of a mess. I left my [agent] and then I took some time off. I went with the one that I think is the best and I think I’ve matured a lot.
“I don’t think about my future, I want to live in the present and the national team. What I want for my future is to be in the European Championship, because there is still the final list, and then to win it. I am here in the national team, in a very nice challenge.”
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Back in April, ahead of Celta playing Real Madrid in LaLiga, Carlo Ancelotti showered praise on Veiga. "I like him, he is an excellent player who has something special," the Real boss said.
Asked about hearing that sort of praise, Veiga responded: “If you know how to manage them in a mature way, all praise is well received, but you have to know how to manage it,” he said.
Gabri Veiga is available for £34.4m this summer (Getty Images)He then joked: “I have spent little time preparing these questions, I am mature in that sense. I am not used to speaking in public but I think I am doing quite well. I want to mature day by day. I don't think about the future, what better than with this group of players that we have in the under-21s.”
Speaking earlier in the year, Vigo president Carlos Mourino insisted that the club would not sell Veiga for anything less than his full release clause. "The clauses are in place and it is one of the requirements of La Liga. We are not going to sell Gabri Veiga, but they are going to buy him from us," Mourino told Cadena SER.
"Nobody has to negotiate with us. We know that there are clubs that have called, but we don't know who has spoken with Gabri Veiga. There were other teams that called us asking if we would give them a hand."
Mourino previously revealed that four Premier League clubs had “asked” about Veiga, who is sure to have a busy summer.