Chelsea agree €29.5 million deal to sell Renato Veiga to Villarreal | OneFootball

Chelsea have agreed a deal to sell versatile defender Renato Veiga to Villarreal for €29.5 million, per Fabrizio Romano.

The 22-year-old is on his way out of Stamford Bridge after only a year.

The Blues included add-ons and secured a heavy sell-on clause in the Veiga deal. His move is a record transfer for the Yellow Submarines.

Veiga arrived at Chelsea last summer and proved instrumental for the West London outfit, comfortably slotting into midfield and at left-back.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca clearly showed trust in Veiga, especially in the cup competitions.

However, he surprisingly decided to leave mid-way through the season, claiming he wanted a starting berth as a centre-back.

He went on loan to Juventus, where he played in his favoured position. Juve boss Thiago Motta was a fan, lauding his ability to ‘find free men between the lines’.

Some Chelsea fans hoped that the Blues would reintegrate him into the squad, especially with Levi Colwill out with a long-term injury.

Benoit Badiashile is also dealing with niggling issues.

There is no way back in for Veiga, who will now complete a move to Villarreal.

It will be interesting to see if his departure opens the door for Chelsea to sign another centre-back.

Maresca wants a new defender, but the hierarchy maintains that he has enough, with Josh Acheampong emerging and Mamadou Sarr set to return next summer.

News from trusted journalists is that Chelsea will only sign a new centre-back if they can shift some, like Veiga and Axel Disasi, off the books.

Who should Chelsea sign if they enter the market for a centre-back?

If Chelsea need a defender who can command his box and punch passes through the lines, they should consider approaching Inter Milan for Alessandro Bastoni.

Bastoni’s ability on the ball will be a massive weapon in the build-up phase. Colwill was an excellent ball progressor, and the Italian can fill the gap seamlessly.

However, it is worth noting that Bastoni won’t come cheap, and Chelsea must also consider what happens when Colwill returns from his setback.