Chelsea defender Renato Veiga appeared as transfer target for Serie A giants Napoli, reports reveal.
The 21-year-old impressed from his £12m move to Stamford Bridge over the summer but remains on the fringes of Enzo Maresca’s first team, starting just once in the Premier League and instead spending most of his minutes in the European Conference League.
Fabrizio Romano notes that Veiga’s performances, which have also led to a senior call-up to the Portuguese national team, have caught the eye of Napoli, who have added Veiga to their list of January transfer targets.
Just how Chelsea it is not known how to part with Veiga on loan. Maresca has openly admitted that he admires the young defender, whose versatility has seen him fill a range of positions.
“I just told Renato, he has already played as a central defender, a full-back, a full-back, an attacking midfielder. He has already played four or five positions,” Maresca said in October.
“Today, in my opinion, if I can play in different positions, then it is better for the team, and especially for the players. Today, if you only play in one position, I think it is not enough. You need to learn more positions.”
Series A rivals Juventus have also been named as potential suitors for Veiga, whose situation could hinge on whether he requests a move. Maresca has already admitted he does not want to lose any players this winter, but admitted those on the fringes – such as Veiga, Christopher Nkunku, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Marc Guiu – could leave in search of regular playing time.
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