Fabrizio Romano reports that Celta Vigo’s Gabri Veiga has a €40m release clause, and that’s currently the only way to sign him.
Celta Vigo don’t want to sell for less, and no club has yet triggered the clause or agreed terms with the player, leaving the race open.
The Premier League seemingly remains Veiga’s most-likely destination, but reports of Newcastle United closing in on a deal appear to be wide of the mark, with nothing advanced at this stage.
Arsenal have also been linked with the midfielder, who has scored nine times and assisted four in 38 matches so far this season.
Celta president Carlos Mouriño confirmed in April that four of the Premier League’s top-10 sides had made enquiries for Veiga, but they planned to refer all of them to his release clause.
And for the rest of the week, at least, you’d expect Veiga’s full attention to be on his current club and their attempts to avoid relegation.
Celta Vigo have a very real chance of going down, should Real Valladolid win their final game over 14th-place Getafe and Celta Vigo lose to La Liga champions Barcelona.
Neither of those results seem beyond the realms of possibility, with the two fixtures to take place on Sunday at 20:00 BST.
Spanish outlet Faro de Vigo previously reported that 21-year-old Veiga is keen to fulfil his dream of signing for Arsenal over the alternative sides chasing his signature this summer.
The Gunners are reportedly his favourite team, and Mikel Arteta’s sporting project and Arsenal’s commitment to young players are among the key factors mentioned in pushing the north London side ahead of the competition.
But Arsenal had only shown an interest at that stage, without making a formal bid or opening negotiations.