Fakayejo Paul
FC Porto have officially shut the door on a late attempt by Atlético Madrid to bring Gabri Veiga back to Spain.
In the final 48 hours of the January window, Diego Simeone’s side made a firm approach for the 23-year-old creative midfielder, but André Villas-Boas and the Porto board were “inflexible” in their refusal.
Veiga, who joined Porto from Al-Ahli in June 2025, has become a cornerstone of Francesco Farioli’s system, and the club was unwilling to lose him mid-season without time to secure a replacement.
The Details of the Rejection
- The Project: Farioli considers Veiga “indispensable.” Since arriving at the Dragão, the Spaniard has racked up 33 appearances, contributing 4 goals and 8 assists and effectively relegating Rodrigo Mora to the bench.
- The Release Clause: Porto pointed directly to Veiga’s €65 million release clause. Unless that figure was met, they were not prepared to negotiate on Deadline Day.
- The Player’s Stance: While Veiga is reportedly open to a return to La Liga in the future, he remains committed to Porto’s hunt for the Primeira Liga title and their upcoming European fixtures.
One to Watch for Summer 2026
The story doesn’t end here. Atlético Madrid have not given up, and several other top European clubs are already “positioning themselves” for the summer window.
- Market Value: Having signed him for a “masterstroke” fee of €15m (plus add-ons) from Saudi Arabia, Porto are now looking at a potential massive profit.
- Summer Competition: Beyond Atlético, scouts from the Premier League and Serie A were reportedly in attendance at the Estádio do Dragão throughout January to monitor his progress.
With Porto currently in the thick of a title race against Sporting and Benfica, keeping Veiga is seen as the board’s most significant “signing” of the winter.