Chelsea defender Renato Veiga wants to leave the club for game time, and Borussia Dortmund are interested in his services.
He reportedly wants to play as a centre-back and is unhappy with the utility role he has been forced to play under Enzo Maresca.
Chelsea asked for £20 million, but BVB were adamant about wanting a loan deal with an option to buy him at the end of his stay.
However, Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Veiga is not considering a permanent departure from Chelsea but prefers to leave on loan for six months. He reportedly believes in the Blues’ long-term project and only wants to get playing time in his legs in his preferred position.
Whether he wants to leave permanently or on loan, he is still putting Chelsea in a tight position in terms of squad building.
Veiga provides cover for Marc Cucurella at left-back and back-up for Levi Colwill in the absence of the oft-injured Benoit Badiashile. He is too important to let go mid-season.
Also, having featured in 18 out of a possible 31 of Chelsea’s games this season, it is surprising that he is angling to leave, especially with the games coming thick and fast in the second half of the season.
Chelsea are planning to let Ben Chilwell leave this winter and cannot afford to also allow Veiga to walk. They need to reach a compromise.
The best idea for Chelsea would be to sell the injury and mistake-prone Badiashile (along with partner in crime Axel Disasi) and have the Portugal international directly behind Colwill in the left-centre-back pecking order.
This would make him feel like his pleas to play centre-back are being heard. Chelsea can then concentrate on finding a Cucurella understudy at left-back.
To be fair to Veiga, he has looked out of place at left-back, but it is up to Chelsea what they decide to do.
