“I see him closer to Liverpool” – Journalist pushing €40m midfielder transfer, Klopp after him ‘for a long time’

Celta Vigo star Gabriel Veiga is “closer to Liverpool” than Real Madrid at this moment in time as he gears up for a major move in the summer.

That’s according to AS journalist Manu Sainz, who believes it is unlikely the highly rated youngster will end up as part of Carlo Ancelotti’s squad.

Veiga is one of the rising stars of European football after rising to prominence with Vigo this season, with nine goals and four assists in 31 games in the league this season.

That has seen a long line of suitors for his signature developing, with it made clear that he will be moving on at the end of the season and Celta’s hierarchy even admitting publicly that they expect to lose their new jewel.

Liverpool have been in the mix from the start, with it claimed back in March that they love what they have seen of the 20-year-old and are preparing to sign him this summer.

That was followed by claims they are willing to pay to secure his signature, while even Madrid based journalists believed he would end up at Anfield, a belief that Sainz shares.

“Let’s see what happens with Gabri Veiga. I still see him more in the Premier League (than La Liga),” he said.

“It is true what our colleague published a few days ago that Madrid were bidding for Veiga, but I don’t see him close to Madrid. I see him closer to Liverpool, for example, a club that has been following him for a long time.

“Newcastle is a club that were the first to travel to Vigo to monitor him and you know they are willing to pay the €40m of his release clause.

“Liverpool are as well. Now the ball is in Veiga’s court. He is going to decide which option he wants because once the club is willing to pay the €40m clause, there is practically no negotiation possible. He can pick what he likes the most.”