Some 12 years on from Cesc Fabregas leaving Arsenal, the Gunners could be about to sign a similar type of player.
Arsenal have impressed with their transfer business thus far – even if confirmation of Declan Rice’s arrival is dragging on – and Mikel Arteta’s men do not appear to have finished just yet.
Who are Arsenal’s latest signings?
Rice’s £105m move from West Ham United, making that a record fee between two British clubs, is expected to be made official in the coming days. That is also the case with Jurrien Timber, who is set to arrive in a £38m deal from Ajax.
Throw the already-confirmed £65m signing of Kai Havertz from Chelsea into the mix and Arsenal have strengthened a squad that led the way at the top of the Premier League for so long last season.
With plenty of time to go until the transfer window closes on September 1st, the Gunners could yet further strengthen in various positions.
Indeed, according to Le10sport, Arsenal remain in the running to sign in-demand Celta Vigo midfielder Gabri Veiga.
What type of midfielder is Gabri Veiga?
The report suggests Arsenal are battling it out with fierce London rivals Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur for the 21-year-old maestro, who is known to have a release clause of €40m (£34m).
That makes him an attainable target for any of those aforementioned clubs, and Veiga’s form last season suggests he would be a steal at that price in today’s market.
Veiga scored 11 goals in 36 LaLiga appearances in 2022/23, ranking him in the top 4% in terms of goals scored by midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues, as per The Analyst.
The Spain U21 international also ranks in the top 12% for shots attempted per 90, meanwhile, and the top 20% for touches in the opposition box per 90, which goes a long way to highlighting what his game is all about.
Used predominantly as a central midfielder, though also capable of playing just off the striker, Veiga is a player who likes carrying the ball forward, which is reflected by the fact he is in the top 24% of midfielders for dribbles attempted.
As Spanish football expert Euan McTear previously put it, Veiga is a “dangerous” player when he is in possession, with his four assists last season showing he is also capable of linking up with others.
In fact, there are plenty of similarities between the Celta academy product and former Arsenal favourite Cesc Fabregas, way beyond the fact that both players are from Spain.
For example, Veiga was involved in 0.59 goals per 90 minutes in LaLiga last season, as per FBref, which compares to 0.67 for Fabregas in the 2010/11 Premier League season – his last as an Arsenal player.
Veiga hit the target from 1.14 of his shots, compared to 1.24 for Fabregas, while they both picked up yellow cards at an identical rate (0.24 per 90) – metrics that highlight the two different sides of their games.
Fabregas was 17 years old when he made his Premier League debut for Arsenal, while Veiga was also thrust into the spotlight at an early age, making his LaLiga debut at 18.
While he may not appreciate the comparisons given he is his own player, Veiga could well be a current-day Fabregas under Arteta, should the Gunners see off the coveted competition for his signature before deadline day.
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