Mohamed Salah statement hands Enzo Maresca new dilemma as £12m transfer bucks Chelsea trend

Just seven days after the initial reports were broken, Renato Veiga officially became a Chelsea player. Signed for £12million on a seven-year contract, the 21-year-old was one of the more 'out of the blue' signings of the summer transfer window from a Chelsea perspective.

After seeing the were about to sign Veiga, many supporters - understandably so - rushed to YouTube to see what they could find on the versatile defender. Unbeknown to them at the time, the Portugal international would go on to become a real cult hero-like figure at Stamford Bridge.

Just over three months after he put pen-to-paper on a long-term contract in SW6, Veiga has played perhaps more than he would have envisaged. He has completed every minute in cup competitions, including three UEFA Conference League matches and one Carabao Cup tie, while also playing a prominent role from the bench in the Premier League.

Last time out against Gent was his best performance in a Blues shirt to date. Not only did the former Basel defender score his first goal for the club, but he was involved in everything good from a Chelsea perspective on the night in an attacking sense and as always, he was industrious with his work out of possession.

A steal at £12million - that is what it looks like at the moment. A superb piece of business; something that has rarely been said about Chelsea since being bought by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital in May 2022. But that is what this is.

While Veiga has not quite cemented a place in the first-team under , what he is doing is knocking on the Italian's door. Loudly and relentlessly. Veiga can probably be described as the member of the 'B team' that is closest to becoming a part of the 'A team'.

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The Portuguese defender is flourishing. And is doing so with a smile on his face. Veiga genuinely looks like he is enjoying his football out on the pitch. It is early days, granted, but so far it looks as if he understands what it means to put on the famous Chelsea shirt.

Going over to celebrate with the away supporters down at Bournemouth last month after 's late winner at the Vitality Stadium. Stuff like that will only see his popularity within the Chelsea fan base rise.

On Sunday, he has the perfect opportunity to make a real statement as a Chelsea player. With suspended for the visit to Premier League leaders Liverpool, it is almost a certainty that Veiga will be given an opportunity to shine at left-back at Anfield.

If that is indeed the case, then Veiga is likely to come up against - a player who notoriously finds a way to get the better of his opponent. While Veiga is five inches taller than Salah, the Portuguese defender cannot allow himself to get in a physical battle with the Liverpool winger, whose height is deceiving to his actual strength.

Instead, Veiga will have to be smart about how he handles Salah. One of those that is a lot easier written down in your own house than performed in front of 60,000-plus people at Anfield.

If, and it is a big if, Veiga can keep Salah quiet on Sunday, then this will undoubtedly be the defender's biggest statement in a Chelsea shirt so far. And while Cucurella has impressed this season under Maresca, there are only so many times you can ignore Veiga's persistent knocking at the door before you have to let him in.