Chelsea are still on the hunt for reinforcements to bolster their midfield presence ahead of the upcoming Premier League campaign and newly-appointed manager Mauricio Pochettino will be desperate to cement a good first impression.
The former Tottenham Hotspur boss has made a highly-anticipated return to the English top-flight after being sacked by the north London club back in 2019, which led to an 18-month stint with Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain where he won every domestic trophy available, including the league title in 2022.
Now Pochettino returns via west London with a point to prove and financial power behind him to repair the ongoing issues at Stamford Bridge, issues that contributed to a 12th place finish in the Premier League last season and failure to secure European football.
Read the latest Chelsea transfer news HERE…
Indeed, it won't be easy for the Argentine boss with a huge project undertaken to rebuild and redevelop the winning culture that has been lost, as well as needing to replace a number of their most experienced players in the squad.
N'Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic, Mason Mount, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Kai Havertz, Christian Pulisic, Kalidou Koulibaly, Hakim Ziyech and Cesar Azpilicueta are all first team players who have departed over this summer alone, paving the way for Pochettino to make a fresh start.
Who are Chelsea's transfer targets?
Chelsea have already secured the signing of several new additions with the likes of Christopher Nkunku, Nicolas Jackson and Andrey Santos joining the club.
It has been reported this week by The Times (via Daily Mail) that the main focus is on the midfield, with Pochettino drawing up a shortlist of midfield targets that includes Leeds United ace Tyler Adams, Brighton and Hove Albion's Moises Caicedo, Ajax whiz Edson Alvarez and Celta Vigo's breakthrough star, Gabri Veiga.
The latter is believed to have a €40m (£35m) release clause in his current contract and has been linked to both Liverpool and Manchester City this summer too.
How good is Gabri Veiga?
One of the most shocking transfer moves of the summer has been Mount's switch from Stamford Bridge to Old Trafford, with the Cobham academy graduate sealing a £60m move to Manchester United, something that was likely to have been incredibly unpopular with Chelsea supporters who have followed the midfielder's journey from wonderkid to England star.
As a result, it won't be easy to replace Mount's connection with the fans and strong understanding of the club's culture off the pitch, however, Pochettino could bring in a young and hungry player who can emulate his performances on the pitch.
Veiga has quickly become a hot prospect in European football following his rising through the ranks of Celta Vigo's academy to becoming a first team regular, offering versatility in his positioning in the middle third and attacking attributes that have caught the attention of many elite clubs.
As per FBref, the 21-year-old – once hailed a "top talent" by Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano – ranks in the top 12% of midfielders in the top five European leagues for non-penalty goals, shots on goal, progressive carries, successful take-ons and touches per 90 minutes played.
When comparing Veiga's output to Mount's last season, the Spaniard comfortably outperformed his positional peer in a number of key attributes including goal contributions (15 v 2), shots on target (46.8% v 27.3%), shot-creating actions per 90 (3.14 v 3.11), successful take-ons (52% v 48.4%) and aerial duels won (52.8% v 39.1%).
Not only that, Veiga offers experience in most midfield roles including attacking, central and defensive which provides Pochettino with reliable depth in the centre of the pitch, another attractive attribute making the young whiz a fantastic prospect for Chelsea next season.
With that being said, if Chelsea did secure the signature of Veiga this summer he would be a worthy successor to replace Mount in the team and if he could continue his outstanding progression in the Premier League, he will be a valuable asset for many years to come.