Palmeiras are ‘convinced’ that reports linking Raphael Veiga with moves to Premier League quartet Chelsea, Arsenal, Wolves and Fulham are nothing more than paper talk.
That is according to Jorge Nicola, the Brazilian football expert taking time out in a recent YouTube video to address the speculation surrounding a man who has won almost everything there is to win during six years at the Allianz Parque.
Goal reported back in March that four Premier League clubs had all contacted Veiga’s camp; Chelsea, Arsenal, Fulham and Wolves
Veiga, however, is no budding wonderkid like a Vitor Roque or a Matheus Franca. He turns 28 in June. As such, reports suggesting that the likes of Arsenal would consider a player in his late 20s – one who has never before stepped foot on European soil – always seemed a little questionable, even if there can be no doubts about Veiga’s talent.
He scored 21 goals from attacking midfield last season. What’s more, Veiga made his long-awaited debut for the Brazil national team against Morocco a few weeks back.
But Nicola, after contacting his sources at Palmeiras, is not expecting to see Veiga follow in the footsteps of former team-mates Danilo and Gustavo Scarpa (both of whom joined Nottingham Forest in January) any time soon.
Are Arsenal and Wolves really in for Raphael Veiga?
“Arsenal, Chelsea, Fulham, Wolverhampton Wanderers. There are Spanish and Italian teams who have an eye on the player too, according to speculation,” Nicola explains.
“I checked with the people at Palmeiras and I said; ‘Wow, Veiga is wanted by everyone!’. The people from Palmeiras warned that there was no official offer or even an enquiry.
“The Verdao are convinced that this whole plot has been divulged by an agent.”
“Veiga is 27 years of age. If he doesn’t go to Europe in the near future, he certainly won’t have the opportunity (to do so). He will need to move to alternative destinations such as Japan, Korea or Saudi Arabia if he really wants to leave Palmeiras.”
Former Samba star Neto claims to have heard that Veiga is on his way to Molineux; Wolves having already brought in one Brazil-based star this year in Joao Gomes.
That, however, was news to Veiga. When asked about those Wolves links, the former Coritiba man simply laughed them off.
“I think it’s funny,” Veiga retorts. “Things come out about me on the internet and on television that I watch…
“I wonder if the people know more than I do. Will (my exit) be a surprise?”
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