Renato Veiga will become Chelsea’s 11th first-team departure of the summer after he agreed a move to Villarreal.
He leaves the Blues for a fee of around €30million, and Standard Sport understands Chelsea have included a sell-on clause in the deal. It is a club-record signing for the Spanish outfit.
Transfer news LIVE! All the latest rumours, gossip, and done deals
The Portuguese moved to west London from Basel in a £12m deal in 2024, but never made much of an impression.
He made seven Premier League appearances for the club, starting only once.
He was named in six of Enzo Maresca’s starting lineups in the Conference League, though, finding the back of the net against Gent and FC Astana before joining Juventus on a half-season loan in January.
But he will ply his trade in La Liga for the foreseeable future. He will serve as a replacement for former Manchester United defender Eric Bailly, who left the club as a free agent at the end of last season, and Raul Albiol, still a free agent.
The Yellow Submarine will be the sixth club Veiga has represented since making his professional debut in 2020.
Villarreal started their La Liga campaign on the right foot, beating ten-man Real Oviedo 2-0. He could soon be reunited with Chelsea in the Champions League.
His sale extends Chelsea’s summer of shrewd selling, following the departures of Armando Broja, Lesley Ugochukwu, Noni Madueke, and Joao Felix.
There is plenty more to be done, though, as high-earners Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell remain on the club’s books.
