Chelsea star's uncertain future becomes crystal clear as 'transfer decision made'

utility man Renato Veiga is reportedly set to return to Stamford Bridge this summer after completing his loan stint at . The Portuguese international headed to Turin in January after being used sparingly by manager during the first part of the season.

And he has become a regular fixture for Juve, making five starts in and another two in the . Going from a fringe player at Chelsea to an important figure for the Bianconeri naturally raised questions about Veiga's future with the Blues. But reports indicate that Juventus do not intend to buy him permanently.

There is no option-to-buy clause included in the loan agreement which took Veiga to the Allianz Stadium, and according to , the Serie A giants have not made contact with Chelsea to discuss a permanent deal.

Veiga is therefore set to be back at his parent club in time for the revamped Club World Cup this summer. The 21-year-old, who can play at left-back, centre-back or in midfield, was only given one Premier League start by Maresca, with the majority of his action coming in the UEFA Conference League.

It is understood that the promise of regular game time in central defence was the driving force behind Veiga's loan switch to Juve, as he targets a spot in the Portugal squad for the 2026 World Cup.

It remains to be seen whether he will get the same thing at Chelsea. In October, Maresca cited versatility as Veiga's major strong point, and stressed the need for all of his players to be capable of featuring in different positions.

"I just said to Renato, he has played already as a centre-back, a full-back, a holding midfielder and an attacking midfielder," explained the Chelsea boss. "He has already played four or five positions.

"In one of my first press conferences, I said that the reason why I really like and love Chelsea is because many players can be versatile. Today, in my idea, if they can play different positions, then it is better for the team and especially for the players.

"Today, if you just play one position, I don't think it's enough. You need to learn more positions. Renato, Malo [Gusto], they are playing in different positions and they are doing well."