Atletico Madrid's Pablo Barrios in action with Celta Vigo's Gabri Veiga
Newcastle United ’emissaries’ have reportedly scouted Celta Vigo attacking midfielder Gabri Veiga ahead of a potential move this summer.
The Lowdown: Veiga’s impressive season
The 20-year-old has been described by Spanish media as ‘one of the fashionable’ players in La Liga and ‘one of the revelations’ of Spanish football after a breakthrough season at the Estadio Balaidos.
He has scored six goals and supplied a further two assists in 21 top-flight games so far this term, which is impressive considering that Celta are struggling near the bottom of the table.
The Latest: Newcastle scout Veiga
As per Spanish newspaper AS (via Sport Witness), Newcastle ’emissaries’ watched Veiga play against Atletico Madrid in La Liga earlier this month, and the Tynesiders are ‘one of the most interested’ clubs in his signature.
Celta ‘hope’ that they could sell Veiga for €30m (£26.5m) this summer, should the Magpies or another club make an offer.
The Verdict: Squad depth needed
Newcastle will likely be challenging on four fronts next season, with their league position looking very likely to earn them a European finish. Therefore, they will need to add quality squad depth, and Veiga would provide that, coming off the back of a strong campaign in one of Europe’s top five leagues.
The 20-year-old ranks in the 99th percentile of all midfielders in Europe’s main leagues for non-penalty goals, non-penalty xG and total shots per game over the past year, while also placing highly in a number of other key metrics.
Furthermore, he still boasts a lot of potential, and he could grow into a fans’ favourite at St James’ Park quickly should he continue his impressive form.
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