Gabri Veiga bid rejected as Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool given £34m transfer instruction

Napoli have joined Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool in the race to sign Celta Vigo talent Gabri Veiga this summer. The young Spaniard enjoyed a breakout 2022/23 campaign before shining at the Under-21 European Championships.

Veiga netted 11 goals in La Liga and providing a further four assists last term — numbers that read even more impressive when you consider that he is a midfielder. The youngster's ball-carrying ability, combined with his intelligent decision-making in the final third is far more refined than you would expect from a player who is still only 21-years-old.

Veiga has a €40million (£34million) release clause in his current contract. Celta Vigo president Carlos Mourino has already insisted that the talented playmaker will not leave for anything less.

Napoli have now entered the race to sign Veiga after submitting an opening offer of €30million (£25million) — which has been turned down, according to Fabrizio Romano. Celta Vigo have made it clear they are not accepting any offer less than the player's £34million release clause.

«We do not want to sell Gabri Veiga, but they are going to buy him from us, and there is nothing we can do,» Mourino told Mundo Deportivo back in March. «We know some of their offers, and it is impossible to get there.»

The Evening Standard reported earlier this summer that Chelsea were expected to make an approach for Veiga once Mason Mount's move to Manchester United was finalised. The report added that the Blues' original plan was to sign just one defensive midfielder.

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Arsenal remain interested in signing a new midfielder with Mohammed Kudus also linked with a switch to the Emirates Stadium.