Erik ten Hag reportedly wants Manchester United to sign Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves if the Dutch tactician joins the Premier League giants this summer.
According to reports in The Sun, Erik ten Hag is a long-term admirer of Ruben Neves and will make him his priority signing should he move to Old Trafford. Recent reports from English media claim that United have all but completed the signing of the current Ajax boss as their next full-time manager.
The Red Devils and ten Hag’s entourage are believed to be finalising the details of their association and an announcement can be expected in the coming days. Manchester United are currently being managed by interim manager Ralf Rangnick, who will take up a consultancy role following the culmination of this season.
The Premier League giants had shortlisted ten Hag and Paris Saint-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino for their next manager’s role and the Dutch tactician seemed to have won the race. The aforementioned report claims that Manchester United and Tlyen Hag have had discussions over possible transfers as well and Neves’s name has been suggested.
The current Ajax boss wants Manchester United to prioritise the 25-year-old Portuguese international’s signing and thinks he could solve their midfield woes. The impending departure of Paul Pogba will leave the Red Devils short-handed in the department and they need a world-class signing to replace the Frenchman.
Manchester United have, in fact, been targeting Neves for a couple of seasons now but have failed to complete a deal. They reportedly approached Wolves with a £35 million offer for the 25-year-old in January but the Midlands club refused to negotiate, holding out for at least £40 million for the midfielder.
Neves has been with Wolves since 2017 and helped them get promoted to the Premier League. He has been an integral player for them since, attracting attention from several clubs across Europe, including Barcelona, and still has over two years remaining on his current deal with them.
Manchester United, however, are desperately looking for a major summer overhaul and could approach Wolves with a significant offer that the Black Country outfit could find difficult to turn down, despite some recent comments. Whether both Neves and ten Hag end up joining Manchester United ahead of the 2022/23 season remains to be seen.
