Newcastle United and Liverpool transfer target Gabri Veiga may have written the last chapter in his Celta de Vigo career in the best possible way after the conclusion of the 2022/23 La Liga season on Sunday.
The 21-year-old, who is wanted by Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United, netted a brace as Celta beat champions Barcelona 2-1 during a dramatic and topsy-turvy evening in which six teams were aiming to avoid relegation from Spain’s promised land.
Gabri Veiga was subbed off after 71 minutes to a standing ovation, as he waved to the crowd and then the TV pictures captured him in tears as he sat in the dugout.
If that was the midfielder’s final game for his boyhood club, then what a way to bow out – Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool are also keen on the 11-goal midfielder rated at £35 million.
This was one crazy relegation battle in Spain, with Real Valladolid being the unlucky ones to drop on the final day, and that, after hitting 40 points.
Usually, that’s the mark every relegation-threatened aims to hit when they are in trouble, and more than likely, it keeps you up. But not for Valladolid.
WILL NEWCASTLE SIGN VEIGA?
Eddie Howe’s side already knocked on the La Liga door for a highly-rated youngster last summer – Alexander Isak – and now they are reaping the rewards for it.
So, if they can land Veiga, a player of great ball-carrying ability, someone who arrives late in the box and a brilliant striker of the ball, then it will only enhance the club’s future.
There is talk of James Maddison moving to St James’ Park, but given that Veiga wouldn’t have English tax on his head and he is joining from a lower-end La Liga side, then he is someone they could land for a much cheaper transfer fee.
