Real Madrid linked 20-year-old star dreams of joining Arsenal - Reports
According to reports, Real Madrid-linked 20-year-old midfielder Gabri Veiga dreams of playing for Premier League giants Arsenal.
The Celta Vigo midfielder has drawn attention from clubs across Europe with his performances for the Spanish club this season. Veiga has made 28 appearances for Celta, scoring eight goals and providing three assists.
He is valued at €40 million by Celta. Apart from Los Blancos, Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, Newcastle United, and more are reportedly interested in signing Veiga in the summer.
Real Madrid have an aging midfield core. Luka Modric is 37 and Toni Kroos is 33. The club are looking to build a midfield for the next generation. They already have the likes of Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni, but Los Blancos are keen to add Veiga to their ranks as well.
Arsenal, meanwhile, have been the Premier League's best team so far this season. Manager Mikel Arteta has done wonders with a young squad. The Spaniard is looking to build a team to compete in the UEFA Champions League next season. Hence, signing new players is a priority for the Gunners.
As per journalist Manu Sainz, the Spanish youngster wants to play for the Gunners. Given Veiga's reported admiration for the English giants, they might be in pole position to secure his signature in the summer.
Real Madrid set to take on Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League
Real Madrid are set to return to action against Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 later tonight (March 15). The highly-anticipated second-leg match will take place at Santiago Bernabeu.
The first leg between the two teams ended in a 5-2 win for Los Blancos, putting them in a favorable position to advance to the quarter-finals.
Speaking ahead of the second leg, Los Blancos defender Antonio Rudiger told the media (via Los Blancos' official website):
"We have to make a better start to this game than we did at Anfield. We have to find the right balance between defending and attacking. It's very important that we're not caught napping in the first 15 minutes. We have to strike the right balance. It's very important for us to not just go out and defend. We have to give our fans something to be happy about and we have to build confidence too."
While Real Madrid managed to secure a 5-2 win at Anfield, they fell behind by a margin of 2-0 at the start of the match. Hence, it's understandable why Rudiger might want the team to get off to a better start in the second leg.