Ronaldo, Benzema, Neymar, Malcolm, Kante, Koulibaly, Brozovic, Milinkovic-Savic. Saudi Arabia is changing the soccer market. And unlike China in 2016, the country has gone a step further: Clubs aren’t just buying up fallen drivers or retired stars. Yesterday, Al-Ahli made the transition of a top-tier young talent. Gabriel Veiga: remember this man, it was this guy who, at the age of 21, traded the best European clubs for a trip to Asia.
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Veiga is a key player in Celta
Few would have thought that Gabriel would be the premiere of the last Spanish season. And he was converted, with a margin. Veiga is a Celta graduate, he started the season on the bench. But both the instability of the staff and the tournament gave him the opportunity to prove his worth. He did not disappoint.
To better understand the scale. Iago Aspas, a Club legend, made his debut at the age of 21 and then in the Second Division. Gabry closed this question at the age of 20, and he not only played: he scored 11 goals. Only Aspas himself has more for the Club in the 2022/2023 campaign: 12. And this despite the fact that Veiga is a midfielder.
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Gabri’s main characteristic is to remain invisible. With all the goals and the considerable number of chances he creates, Veiga doesn’t play long with the ball, in attacking phase he can even walk lazily, waiting for that very moment. Precisely thanks to this ability, a duo with Aspas developed: while Iago takes over the game, drags the ball and leads, Veiga stays in the shadows and waits.
The logical result: one of the best players under-21 in the “goal + pass” system in the top 5 leagues, the title of the best player of February in the league and a lot of interested clubs.
Gabriel Veiga and Iago Aspas
Photo: David S. Bustamante/Socrates/Getty Images
Veiga – in Al-Ahly: how did it happen?
It is even more surprising that, after a great season, Gabri has not gone to a great European club. Many people were interested: from the giants of the Premier League (Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City) and Borussia Dortmund with PSG to the Italian tops (Milan and Napoli) and the Spanish monsters (Real Madrid with “Barsoy”). Wherever you play, you will arrive, they became interested and followed you.
But there were almost no concrete negotiations. The main problem – Celta refused to lead them and was ready to give the player only the amount of compensation – 40 million euros. It is for this reason that no one was in a hurry to accept Veiga – the clause can be paid at any time. time. Barca found Gundogan, Real Madrid got Guler and Bellingham, Chelsea bought it outright. And even Milan did not need Gabri so much – they took Yunus Musa.
Gabriel Veiga
Photo: Octavio Passos/Getty Images
So the circle narrowed little by little, but there were still many who wanted to do it. Napoli entered into negotiations, activated the amount of the release, the expert Fabrizio Romano gave here we go, an almost unequivocal argument that the transfer will take place.
But immediately after, the rapid development of events with Al-Ahli. The reason is on the surface: in Naples the player was offered an annual salary of 2.2 million euros, and in Saudi Arabia – at least six times more – 12.5 million euros net per year! And this despite the fact that at Celta the boy received only 500,000 euros and his head is spinning.
Where did Veiga go? In the example of a tour:
The miraculous goal from Benzema’s teammate, the spectacle of Mané and Ronaldo. What is remembered from the tour in the Saudi League
To condemn Veiga or not to condemn?
The football community took the transfer very negatively. Even Toni Kroos, after seeing the news about the transition on social networks, left a broad comment: “Shame.” But is it really that bad?
Did the guy trade the path to success for money? Is there a guarantee of this success? Napoli, Liverpool, Real Madrid – no major club guarantees trophies and even development. We just got used to the fact that in Europe, in a rather impressive number of teams, you can count on it. At the same time, you can play for Tottenham all your life and not win anything. Or go to the club of your dreams, get injured and not return to the previous level. Or not get along with the coach and not play in the squad.
And Saudi Arabia is all-inclusive right now.
Veiga in a presentation in Al-Ahli
Photo by: Al-Ahli FC
Yes, Veiga preferred money to opportunities. Pragmatism and cold calculation instead of emotions. But even after that, he can still come back.
Rafael Benitez
celtic coach
“The deal with Al-Ahly will improve Gabri’s life. At the same time, you will help us financially. Go to Saudi Arabia at 20? This is not just a place for veteran players. I had Carrasco in China, then he came back and now he’s playing in the Champions League.”
