Chelsea have signed the ‘4th-best U21 playmaker’ in a surprise transfer

Veiga – More than what meets the eye

Chelsea’s acquisition of Renato Veiga came as a surprise to many. The versatile defender joined the West Londoners earlier this month, as the Blues concluded the sixth signing of the summer transfer window. Viega follows Tosin Adarabioyo, Omari Kellyman, Marc Guiu, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to a Chelsea move, with the club also finding an agreement to bring Estevao Willian to the Bridge in 2025.

While it was one of the rare transfers where not much was known until the transfer reached its conclusive stages, it was also a move where the majority of the Blues faithful had no idea about the player or the profile he represented.

Now, if you look back on his playing history, he played for Sporting B, followed by a half-season on loan at Augsburg, and then one season at Basel. Moreover, he has such a versatile profile that vast numbers of the Blues faithful are unsure of where he plays.

Many think he is going to play at the centre of the park, while others suggest he would slot into the left-back role at the bridge.

A playmaker in disguise?

While Chelsea fans ponder the exact fit of his services, an interesting stat has popped up from CIES Football Observatory claiming that he’s the 4th best “U21 playmaker creator. Now there is a lot of uncertainty on what goes into the backend database, but this does paint Renato Veiga as a far more creative outlet than a simple six or a central defender.

More Chelsea News

• Chelsea star wanted by Saudi Arabian giants in move that could help Blues financially
• Chelsea eye Champions League finalist’s signing as priority this summer
• Jose Mourinho seeks reunion with Chelsea superstar at Fenerbahce

It would be interesting to follow Veiga through the pre-season and determine how exactly he is as a player. That being said, the above stat gives more confidence in his abilities to feature for Chelsea consistently.