💰 Atleti made a late move for Gabri Veiga in the final hours of the window | OneFootball

The close of the 2026 winter transfer market has left us with one of those “what could have been” stories that are so popular in the offices. Atlético de Madrid, always alert to last-minute opportunities to strengthen Diego Pablo Simeone’s squad, went all in during the final moments to try to bring Gabri Veiga back to Spain.

After his time in Saudi Arabia and his current spell at FC Porto, the young Galician attacking midfielder became “Cholo’s” top wish to bolster a midfield that was crying out for more attacking presence and goals.

It was Fabrizio Romano who confirmed the news through his social media. According to the Italian journalist, Atlético submitted a formal proposal in the last 48 minutes of the transfer window.

This was not just a simple inquiry, but a real offensive to take the youth product from Celta away from the Portuguese “Dragons,” where he has established himself as a key player under Vítor Bruno since his return to Europe last summer.

However, FC Porto stood firm in their “no negotiation” stance. The board, led by André Villas-Boas, declined the offer from the Madrid club, citing the impossibility of finding a reliable replacement with so little time to maneuver.

For the Portuguese club, letting go of a player with a €65 million release clause on deadline night, with the season’s objectives at stake, was a risk they were not willing to take, despite the player’s willingness and his well-known support for the Madrid side.

📸 Jose Manuel Alvarez Rey - 2026 Getty Images

Although the signing did not materialize, this move makes it clear that Atlético de Madrid still has Gabri Veiga marked in red on their list of priorities. The operation, which came within a whisker of a “Here we go,” seems to have been the first chapter of a saga that promises to heat up again in the summer transfer window.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.

📸 MIGUEL RIOPA - AFP or licensors