Arsenal have reportedly emerged as favourites in the race to sign Celta Vigo's Gabri Veiga this summer, with the player preferring a move to the Emirates Stadium over North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
The 21-year-old enjoyed his first full season of senior football in Spain last term, appearing in 36 La Liga matches for a club now managed by Rafael Benitez, scoring 11 goals and assisting on four occasions.
Veiga has been busy on international duty for a large part of this summer, linking up with Spain Under-21s for their European Championship campaign in Georgia, in which they lost to England in the final on July 8.
Emile Smith Rowe lined up against Veiga during that showpiece match in Batumi, and the pair could be playing together next term according to the Le 10 Sport, with Arsenal emerging as the player's preferred destination.
It is understood that the Spaniard is an admirer of compatriot Mikel Arteta as a coach, and believes that the Gunners' style of play would best suit his qualities should he make the switch to the Premier League.
Arsenal have moved swiftly to replace veteran Granit Xhaka, who left the Emirates this summer in order to link up with Bundesliga outfit Bayer Leverkusen, with a record-breaking deal for England international Declan Rice close to completion.
It is believed that the North Londoners and West Ham United have agreed the terms of a £105m deal for the 24-year-old, while the midfielder has since completed his medical at his new employers.
Ajax centre-back Jurrien Timber has also reportedly passed his physical examinations ahead of a £34m move from the Dutch giants, meaning that William Saliba and Gabriel will have genuine competition for their spots in the Gunners XI.
Veiga is said to prefer a transfer to Arsenal over North London rivals Tottenham, meaning that Ange Postecoglou could be set to miss out on one of his midfield targets in this summer window.
The report adds that fellow Premier League clubs Chelsea, Newcastle United, Liverpool and Manchester City are all interested in securing the services of the youngster.
A separate report last month suggested that Pep Guardiola's Citizens were ready to step up their efforts to sign the Spaniard, with the treble winners looking to replace Ilkay Gundogan in their engine room following his departure to Barcelona.
With Veiga's release clause at Celta understood to be only £34m, all of the player's suitors view a potential deal as one which could reap massive rewards for relatively little cost.
Paris Saint-Germain were said to be keen on the 21-year-old, however it is now claimed that the Ligue 1 champions are no longer in the race to lure the player away from La Liga.
Veiga has featured 55 times for the Spanish Sky Blues since making his first-team debut in September 2020, going on to score 11 goals from a midfield position. body check tags ::
