Arsenal have reportedly contacted Wolves over the potential transfer of Ruben Neves, who is tipped to leave Molineux this summer.
There has been a lot of noise over Arsenal’s desire to sign Ruben Neves this week, with Wolves ready to cash in on their star midfielder. A recent report from The Athletic now suggests that the Premier League heavyweights have initiated contact with the West Midlands outfit over the transfer.
Wolves are believed to be keen on reshaping their squad following a disappointing 2020/21 campaign that saw them finish below the likes of Everton, West Ham United and even the newly promoted Leeds United. It also brought about the demise of Nuno Espirito Santo, who had spent years to build the core of this current side.
Ruben Neves was a central figure of the setup, having notched up 176 competitive appearances after joining the club in 2017. During his time under Nuno, the former FC Porto midfielder also established himself as a Portuguese international, notably winning 20 caps for A Selecao.
Despite Wolves’ shortcomings in the 2020/21 campaign, however, Neves’ stocks are high as ever. The 24-year-old midfielder is regarded as a real leader in the middle of the park and now has the experience within Premier League to match up to his leadership skills as well, which explains Arsenal’s interest in him.
Arsenal have been crying out for a leader like him for years, despite having signed Thomas Partey last summer. In fact, the Ghanaian international has struggled in his first season in England, primarily due to the lack of a reliable partner.
It has forced Mikel Arteta to explore his options in the market, as the Spaniard hopes for midfield reinforcements after the return of Dani Ceballos and Martin Odegaard to Real Madrid. In addition, Arsenal are also expected to cash in on both Lucas Torreira and Matteo Guendouzi, who has been linked with a permanent switch to Marseille.
Even Granit Xhaka has emerged as a subject of interest from AS Roma, led by Jose Mourinho. The Swiss international’s potential departure from the Emirates could pave the way ideally for someone like Ruben Neves to become Arsenal’s first-choice option in midfield.
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The 24-year-old Portuguese international could even build a strong midfield pairing alongside Partey in the double pivot, offering much more protection, stability and leadership in the middle of the park. His experience in the Premier League makes him an even more viable option for Arsenal, as they brace themselves for a major overhaul this summer.
