10AM: Blues announce fifth Enzo Maresca signing as Club president slams Chelsea pressure on signing €60m player
Renato Veiga, a bright Portuguese star, has officially joined Chelsea.
Renato Veiga, a Basel native who signed a seven-year contract with Chelsea for £12 million, has now been acquired by the Blues.
The Blues signed the Portugal Under-21 midfielder as their sixth summer addition following trades for Tosin Adarabioyo, Marc Guiu, Omari Kellyman, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
Veiga, who can play in midfield and defense as well, has a deal with Chelsea that expires in 2031.
“I’m absolutely buzzing to be here,” said Veiga upon signing for Chelsea.
“This is one of the biggest clubs in England – the biggest for me – and I’m just really excited to get started.”
Renato captained Portugal’s Under-20s side before moving up to the under-21s. He has featured in all seven of the side’s European Championship qualifiers for the 2025 edition.
Club president slams Chelsea pressure on signing €60m player
Athletic Bilbao Nico Williams has been very impressive for Spain in Euro 2024.
Nico Williams has been one of the standout players in Euro 2024.
The young winger has been subjected to interest from the likes of Chelsea and Barcelona.
In an explosive rant, Athletic president Uriarte has insisted Nico Williams was ‘committed’ to the club, and isn’t for sale.
Uriarte accused the RFEF (Royal Spanish Football Federation) of failing to ‘protect’ the player from constant questions over his future.
Uriarte said: “Nico is very committed to Athletic Bilbao. He as been subjected to a bombardment of questions about his future in an excessive and uncontrolled manner while on international duty at Euro 2024.
“The Spanish Federation does not know how to protect him.”
He went on: “Respect between all the members of the football club is key, or at least that is the case at Athletic Club, which does not have as a strategy of subjecting players contracted to other clubs to public pressure in order to try to incorporate them.
“Athletic Bilbao aim for the maximum, without limits. We are showing that we have a winning project for footballers and coaches.
“We have renewed the contracts of players who are playing at the European Championship, such as Unai Simon and Vivian, as well as coveted players like [Benat] Prados, Oihan [Sancet], Julen [Agirrezabala] or [Aitor] Paredes, who have also signed for several seasons.
“Athletic Bilbao is economically, socially and sportingly capable of keeping footballers of the calibre of those named in its structure, including Nico Williams.”