Real Madrid have reportedly joined Manchester United and Liverpool in the race for the signing of Wolves’ Portuguese midfielder Ruben Neves.
According to a report from Fichajes, Real Madrid have entered the race for the signing of Wolves and Portugal international midfielder Ruben Neves, who is also a transfer target for Manchester United and Liverpool.
Neves came through the ranks at FC Porto and joined Wolves in 2017 when they were still in the EFL Championship. He played a key role in their promotion to the Premier League in his debut season and has since been an ever-present in the middle of the park, helping the Midlands club establish their top-flight status.
Neves has made 188 appearances for the Black Country outfit, bagging 21 goals and ten assists in the process. The midfielder has become one of the most reliable performers in his position in the Premier League, which has put him on the radars of several top clubs. This past summer, Arsenal and Manchester United were vying for his signing, although no move materialised.
While Arsenal bolstered their midfield with the signing of Albert Sambi Lokonga, Manchester United still retain an interest in Neves. The Red Devils could be forced into the market to acquire new midfielders come summer as Paul Pogba faces an uncertain future while Donny van de Beek continues to be overlooked by manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
With Nemanja Matic also in the final stages of his career, Manchester United could do with adding a proven operator like Neves to their midfield unit. However, they will have to battle with Liverpool and Real Madrid for his signing.
Liverpool’s interest in Neves makes a lot of sense despite the plethora of options Jurgen Klopp already has at his disposal. Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Thiago Alcantara are in their thirties, with the latter two struggling with fitness problems in the ongoing campaign.
So, it might be the right time for Liverpool to freshen up their options in the midfield unit by adding a few younger faces. And Neves would be a viable target considering that he is just 24 but already has plenty of experience at this level. But, Real Madrid’s entry into the picture could prove problematic for both Liverpool and Manchester United in their pursuit of the Portuguese international.
The Merengues need to dip their toes into the market for a new midfielder come summer as Luka Modric is in the twilight of his career and is also in the final year of his contract. With Casemiro touching thirty and Toni Kroos having had injury issues, manager Carlo Ancelotti would benefit from managing their game-time carefully, thus making the signing of a new midfielder important.
Several players have been linked with the Spanish capital outfit, with Neves also now emerging as a target. The 24-year-old’s contract with Wolves runs till 2024. He is likely to cost around €40-50 million in transfer fee as per the report. It now remains to be seen if Real Madrid, Manchester United or Liverpool decide to step up their pursuit of the ex-Porto prodigy in the coming months.
