Arsenal will reportedly have to shell out a transfer fee of around £40 million in order to sign Portuguese midfielder Ruben Neves from Wolves this summer.
According to a report from The Telegraph, Arsenal have learnt the amount they will have to pay up if they are to complete the signing of Ruben Neves from fellow Premier League outfit Wolves. The Gunners have been told to pay up a sum of £40 million in order to land the 24-year-old Portuguese international in the upcoming transfer window.
Arsenal head into the summer needing a mini-overhaul of sorts following a disappointing 2020/21 season. The Gunners invested heavily in their midfield department last summer to bring in Thomas Partey from Atletico Madrid as a marquee signing. However, the move has failed to work out as planned, with the Ghanaian underwhelming in his debut season.
Granit Xhaka, who enjoyed some resurgence under Mikel Arteta at Arsenal, is on his way out of the club this summer, with a £15 million transfer to AS Roma in the works. And with Mohamed Elneny a squad option at best and the future of Joe Willock also far from certain, the north London giants must dip their toes in the transfer market for a new midfielder.
That is where Neves enters the picture for Arsenal. Having arrived at Wolves in 2017 from FC Porto, the Portuguese international has developed into a mainstay in the middle of the park for club and country. Even though he saw a dip in form during the recently concluded campaign, Neves is widely regarded as one of the more reliable defensive midfielders in the English top-flight.
A well-established Premier League midfielder, who, at 24, has his best years in front of him, Neves can be a fine addition to the Arsenal squad. To that end, the Gunners are said to have established contact with Wolves to assess the possibility of a transfer this summer. And, it seems like they have received a positive response, with the Midlands outfit open to selling their midfielder to generate funds for new manager Bruno Lage.
Arsenal, though, have been told that it will take at least £40 million to snap up the signing of Neves from the Molineux. The Portuguese international, for his part, is open to leaving after having spent four years at the club. It now remains to be seen if Arsenal are willing to meet Wolves’ valuation for Neves or decide to look at alternatives, with Yves Bissouma of Brighton a transfer target as well.