Former Sporting prospect Renato Veiga completed his transfer to English side Chelsea over the weekend, signing an astonishing 7-year contract at Stamford Bridge with the option of a further year.
At just 20, the London club are betting long term on Veiga’s potential. With football already in his family, Veiga arrives having already lived in a handful of different countries and capable of speaking five languages. We take a look at the latest Portuguese hoping to make the grade in the Premier League.
Veiga is the son of a footballer. His father Nelson Veiga, a Lisbon-born Cape Verde international, was also in Sporting’s academy as a youngster. In the end Veiga senior racked up over 200 appearances in Portuguese football, beginning with Estoril before time spent with Vitória Setúbal and Naval.
By the time Nelson had embarked on foreign ventures in Cyprus with Omonia and AEK Larnaca, his son was an infant and was accompanying him on the moves abroad. Nelson even had a stint in Morocco with Marakesh-based outfit Kawbab, before returning to Lisbon to finish his career with Vilafranquense.
Renato was also born in the Portuguese capital but believes his many experiences living abroad have equipped him with personal attributes ideal for coping with another move. “Following my dad throughout his career, I would say that I’m very mature for my age,” he said after his unveiling at Chelsea’s Cobham training ground.
“You get put into situations at a very young age and you have to adapt to them. It’s like being in survival mode and it’s a way of living. You just have to live and get on with it.
'I lived abroad in Cyprus and Morocco when I was younger, and you just have to adapt to it. It has made me build my strong character and my personality.
'I speak five different languages – English, French, Portuguese, Spanish and Arabic. That has come from living abroad. I find it easier now to adapt to new environments because I have been put in that situation several times, but it’s always new and exciting.
'My dad is my biggest inspiration. He used to play at centre-back and because of him, I started to develop my love for football. I remember watching him when I was younger, and it would be the only place where I was quiet!
“I would just sit there and watch him play at stadiums, whereas at home I would be kicking the ball around and my mum would go nuts.”
Veiga joins Chelsea a year after fellow Luso youngster Diego Moreira arrived from Benfica, after which he spent a brief loan at Lyon. The pair already know each other from Portugal international youth sides, which should provide a useful element in helping both develop at Stamford Bridge.
“Diego Moreira is my boy,” Veiga says. ‘I know him from the national team. I look forward to seeing him here because I haven’t actually got a chance to catch up with him. That will be a special moment.”
Veiga impressed enough last season in Switzerland with FC Basel, where he mostly played as a defensive midfielder, to convince Chelsea to part with €14m to bring him to London. The price represented a strong profit for the Swiss club less than a year after acquiring him for €4.6m from Sporting, who will take a 10% sell-on fee.
Asked what Blues fans can expect from him, Veiga admitted that Pepe has been a role model, while adding: “I’m a smart, aggressive player. I’m comfortable on the ball and I would describe myself as a complete player due to my versatility.
“I’m comfortable in many positions on the pitch. I wouldn’t say I have a favourite position because it depends on the opponent or tactical elements, but I have played at left-back, centre-back and as a defensive midfielder.
“I like to defend a lot and with my height and physical strength, I enjoy it. I like to control the game with or without the ball.”
Chelsea will begin the upcoming season under yet another new manager, with Italian Enzo Maresca replacing Mauricio Pochettino in the dugout.
By @SeanGillen9
