Chelsea have reportedly reject offers for Carney Chukwuemeka and Renato Veiga even though both are expected to leave the club this summer.
The two versatile players in their early 20s spent the second half of the 2024–25 campaign out on loan. Chukwuemeka was dogged by the same injury concerns at Borussia Dortmund which have derailed his Chelsea career, although he did enjoy several cameo appearances during the Bundesliga side’s run to the Club World Cup quarterfinals.
Veiga was released from his loan spell at Juventus before the summer tournament which his parent club won. The Portugal international was on the cusp of joining Atlético Madrid this summer only to see that move collapse.
Fellow La Liga outfit Villarreal are also interested in Veiga, per Fabrizio Romano. The Spanish side supposedly view the centre back as a “dream target” yet had their opening formal bid rebuffed by Chelsea. Whether Veiga would agree to Villarreal’s proposed contract is moot until the club significantly up their offer. The west London outfit are thought to value the defender at €30 million (£25.9 million, $35.1 million).
Dortmund haven’t even attempted to permanently purchase Chukwuemeka, another report from Romano claims. The side led by Niko Kovač have offered to take the English midfielder on loan again for the 2025–26 in an agreement which includes an obligation to buy next summer. Chelsea reportedly found the terms of that proposed deal “insulting.”
The Blues haven’t given themselves a great deal of leverage when it comes to two players who are clearly not part of Enzo Maresca’s plans. “He is training with the ones that are waiting for a solution,” Chelsea’s Italian manager said of Chukwuemeka this week. “He’s probably going to have a chance to leave.”
Veiga was widely praised by Maresca during the first half of last season for his ability to play in a range of positions. Yet, it was the Italian’s reluctance to repeatedly field the moustachioed left footer at centre back which supposedly prompted his desire to leave Stamford Bridge.
“If there is a player that wants to play in just one position, they are going to struggle,” Maresca said of Veiga earlier this year. “They have to learn to play in different positions because it’s a good thing for the player and the club.”
However, Maresca may be inclined to play Veiga in his preferred position following the long-term injury to Levi Colwill and recent blow sustained by Tosin Adarabioyo.
READ THE LATEST CHELSEA NEWS, TRANSFER RUMORS AND MORE
This article was originally published on www.si.com as ‘Insulting’—Chelsea Firmly Reject Offers for Two Enzo Maresca Exiles.
