Chelsea have reportedly agreed to send Renato Veiga on loan to Juventus for the remainder of the season.
The 21-year-old has struggled to force his way into Enzo Maresca's Premier League starting lineup since joining the Blues on a seven-year contract from Basel during the summer transfer window.
Since swapping the Swiss giants for Stamford Bridge in a deal worth €14m (£11.8m), Veiga has come up with two goals and one assist in 18 games for Chelsea, but only seven of those appearances have come in the top flight.
Furthermore, Veiga's only start in the Premier League so far came against Bournemouth in the middle of September, and he is still waiting for his first top-flight minutes of 2025.
The Portugal international was absent from the squad entirely for Monday's 3-1 success over Wolverhampton Wanderers, another one of his reported admirers who apparently failed with a bid to sign him permanently earlier this month.
Chelsea to bank £4.2m Veiga loan fee?
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Chelsea still have high hopes for Veiga and thus are not willing to sever ties for good, but according to journalist Fabrizio Romano, the Blues and Juventus have now struck an accord over a loan deal.
The Old Lady will reportedly pay Chelsea €5m (£4.2m) for Veiga's services for the remainder of the campaign, and Juventus will not possess an option or obligation to make his stay permanent.
Veiga will therefore be back in West London in time for Chelsea's Club World Cup campaign this summer, which sees the Blues face Flamengo, Leon and Esperance de Tunis during the group stage.
The 21-year-old could be the first senior Chelsea player to depart Maresca's ranks this month, but he is unlikely to be the last, as fellow left-back Ben Chilwell is expected to be on the move after being frozen out of the squad.
Juventus has also been mooted as a potential landing spot for Chilwell, and their Serie A counterparts Lazio have supposedly made a fresh approach for a fledgling Chelsea midfielder.
Could Veiga move boost Manchester City transfer pursuit?
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Veiga's imminent switch to Juventus comes at a time where Manchester City have reportedly expressed an interest in Bianconeri defender Andrea Cambiaso, who could be a like-for-like replacement for Kyle Walker.
The latter is expected to complete a move to AC Milan in the coming days, and even though Cambiaso has largely played on the left this season - like Veiga - he is equally competent on the right.
However, Man City's hopes of landing Cambiaso are unlikely to be boosted by Veiga's transfer, as Romano adds that Juventus intend to use the former Sporting Lisbon youngster as a centre-back instead.
Veiga has occupied that role during his first few matches for Portugal, and the 21-year-old will likely slot in as a direct replacement for Bremer, who is currently sidelined by an ACL injury.
Juve are still believed to be pursuing a new left-back as well amid links with Chilwell and Feyenoord's David Hancko, but Veiga's change of location should not open the door for a Cambiaso move just yet.
Ben Knapton
