Atletico Madrid target Chelsea defender as Diego Simeone eyes Cristian Romero alternative after Tottenham snub offer for centre-back

According to AS, Simeone and the Atleti hierarchy have now turned their attention to Veiga, the 21-year-old Portuguese defender owned by Chelsea. Veiga impressed on loan at Juventus last season and is reportedly open to leaving Stamford Bridge for more playing time. Chelsea are seeking up to £30 million ($41m) for his services.

Veiga has long been on Atletico's radar, dating back to his days at Basel. The club monitored him closely before he joined Chelsea in 2024, and they reignited their interest when he was loaned to Juve in January. Atleti are actively looking to fill the void left by Reinildo, and Cesar Azpilicueta, and Veiga fits the profile both in terms of potential and price.

Chelsea are currently overstocked at centre-back and see Veiga, 21, as a valuable but expendable asset. While highly regarded, he remains behind Levi Colwill in the pecking order and may be further marginalised by Chelsea's pursuit of Ajax defender Jorrel Hato. Veiga, who prefers playing as a central defender, was often deployed out of position at left-back or in midfield during his brief stint at Stamford Bridge.

With Spurs blocking any approach for Romero, Simeone has instructed his club to work on alternate solutions. Veiga’s tactical versatility and comfort playing at left-back are major assets, and Atletico could move for him either on a permanent transfer or via a loan with an option to buy. Juve paid €4m for a half-season loan and wanted to keep him, but their financial situation prevented a permanent deal.
For now, Atletico are expected to open talks with Chelsea, buoyed by a good recent transfer relationship between the clubs, with deals like Joao Felix and Conor Gallagher in the past.

Los Rojiblancos remain front-runners to sign Veiga, but Bayern Munich's interest and Juventus’ admiration mean competition is high. Whether through a permanent deal or a structured loan, Simeone is determined to add a versatile defensive piece to his reshaped squad before the new campaign kicks off.