Todd Boehly makes £250m as Chelsea star who had loan deal mysteriously terminated is sold

Chelsea's summer sales have now surpassed the £250million mark with Renato Veiga's move to Spanish outfit Villarreal.

Veiga was brought to west London from Swiss side Basel in July 2024 for a fee of £12m, but saw limited action under manager Enzo Maresca. His debut came in a 2-0 defeat to Manchester City last August, but he struggled to secure significant playing time.

A loan spell at Juventus in January saw him make 15 appearances before returning to Chelsea. Now, he departs the Blues for £25m, more than double what Todd Boehly paid for him just over a year ago. His brief but time in London isn't his first experience of a short-lived club stay, having previously caused a stir with a loan move during his Sporting CP days.

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Chelsea have offloaded 11 first-team players this summer, including notable names such as Noni Madueke, Joao Felix and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. These departures have funded high-profile signings like Joao Pedro, who arrived from Brighton for £55m in July, as well as Jamie Gittens from Borussia Dortmund and Liam Delap from Ipswich Town.

Veiga's sale adds another £25m to Chelsea's summer transfer income. However, it's worth noting that it was at his boyhood club, Sporting, where he first made headlines for an abruptly ended loan spell.

Born in Lisbon, the 22-year-old joined Sporting's academy at the age of seven. After departing in 2013, he spent time at various academies before returning five years later, swiftly climbing through their youth ranks.

At the age of 19, after a few appearances for Sporting's B-team, Veiga was presented with the chance to join German side Augsburg on loan in January 2023. The loan deal was set to last until December 2023, and initially, everything seemed to be going smoothly.

He made his debut in February and was regularly featured in the team, playing in 13 Bundesliga matches. However, in a surprising turn of events, his loan was cut short in August, just six months into his stint in Germany.

This abrupt termination sparked confusion, as Veiga had been a regular feature for Augsburg. Although he hadn't made a significant impact, he had completed the full 90 minutes in their last two matches.

Whispers of disciplinary issues began to circulate. While these rumours were never officially confirmed, it was clear that Veiga wasn't the right fit for the German club and he promptly returned to Sporting.

"After analysing the first six months of his loan spell, we came to a mutual decision with Renato Veiga to terminate his loan contract," said Stefan Reuter, Augsburg's managing director for sports in 2023. "We would like to thank him for his dedication to the club and wish him all the best for his future."

Veiga's stint back with Sporting was brief as he made a permanent move to Basel shortly after his loan spell at Augsburg ended. The adaptable defender shone brightly for the Swiss heavyweights, bagging their Goal of the Season award, which subsequently led to his transfer to Stamford Bridge.

He is now set to ply his trade in La Liga, with Chelsea releasing a statement upon his departure. It read: "We thank Renato for his efforts during his time at Chelsea and wish him well as he begins a new chapter in his career."