The latest Manchester United transfer news has linked the club with Portuguese midfielder Ruben Neves, who is currently playing for Saudi Pro League club Al Hilal. With his contract at Al Hilal set to expire in the Summer, the latest transfer report is that Neves is available for a £20 million fee, which is seen as a bargain by many clubs for a player of his calibre. Manchester United in particular have been facing issues in their midfield for a long time, with Casemiro's best years behind him and Manuel Ugarte struggling at the club since arriving from PSG.
Another interesting factor that makes it attractive for Manchester United to bring in Ruben Neves is his Premier League experience. That is what we'll be covering in this article, as we look back at Man Utd target Ruben Neves' time with Wolves in England.
When Man Utd target Ruben Neves played for Wolves in the Premier League
Rúben Neves arrived in English football in the summer of 2017 when Wolverhampton Wanderers made a bold statement by signing the highly rated Portuguese midfielder from Porto. The fee, believed to be around £15.8 million, was a record for both Wolves and the Championship, showing how determined the club were to return to the Premier League. Neves was reunited with his former Porto coach Nuno Espírito Santo, and the partnership quickly transformed Wolves into promotion favourites.
He made an instant impact, scoring his first goal in August 2017 in a thrilling win over Hull City. Throughout that season Neves became the heartbeat of the team, dazzling fans with his passing range and spectacular long-range shooting. All six of his league goals came from outside the box as Wolves stormed to the Championship title. His performances earned him nominations for both Player of the Season and Young Player of the Season, while he was also named in the division’s Team of the Year. By the end of the campaign he had completed a clean sweep of Wolves’ individual awards, including Goal of the Season and the EFL Goal of the Year for a stunning strike against Derby County.
Neves carried that form into the Premier League after signing a new contract in 2018. He scored on the opening day against Everton and helped Wolves establish themselves as a competitive top-flight side. Memorable moments followed, including a thunderous FA Cup winner against Liverpool in 2019 and his growing role as a leader within the squad. He captained the club for the first time later that year and gradually became one of the most respected midfielders in the league.
By 2022 Neves had reached 200 appearances for Wolves and was appointed full-time captain following Conor Coady’s departure. Despite battling injuries, he continued to deliver crucial goals and assists. With his contract entering its final year in 2023, the Portuguese star admitted his ambition to play Champions League football, sparking interest from major clubs, including Barcelona and long-time admirers Manchester United. However, in the end, Ruben Neves joined Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal in 2023 for a club record sale of £47 million.
Will Ruben Neves join Manchester United and return to the Premier League?
Ruben Neves has been linked with Manchester United for a long time, and his cheap transfer fee might make him an attractive option for the club as well. Although numerous transfer reports have been linking the player with Man Utd, none of them have been from credible top-tier sources so far. Thus, our opinion is that as it stands it's unlikely that Ruben Neves will join Manchester United. However, things could easily change with each passing day in the January Transfer Window.
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