La Liga heavyweights Barcelona are reportedly considering signing 25-year-old Portuguese midfielder Ruben Neves in the January transfer window.
According to a report by Spanish publication SPORT, Barcelona might enter the market for a holding midfielder in the January transfer window. And 25-year-old Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Ruben Neves is the priority target for the Blaugrana to bolster the midfield department in the winter.
Ruben Neves has gone from strength to strength since joining Wolverhampton Wanderers from FC Porto half a decade ago. The Portuguese international had sprung a surprise by joining a club in the EFL Championship but has established himself as one of the best midfielders in the Premier League following Wolves’ promotion to the top flight.
The 25-year-old has turned out 212 times for the Black Country outfit thus far, chipping in with 24 goals and 12 assists. And Neves’s exploits at the Molineux have not gone unnoticed, with some of the biggest clubs in the Premier League keen on signing him. In addition, he is also a target for Barcelona.
Neves has already been in contact with Barcelona for several months. And he is believed to be keen on joining the Blaugrana when he leaves Wolverhampton Wanderers. Barcelona initially thought about signing the Portuguese midfielder this summer, but their priorities have changed in the last few weeks.
However, with Sergio Busquets in the twilight of his illustrious career, the Catalan giants need to lay down a succession plan for the veteran midfielder. And Neves is the priority option to replace Busquets in the coming years, with recent reports claiming Barcelona might look to sign him in the 2023 summer transfer window.
But Barcelona might have to accelerate the plans to sign Busquets’s successor by bringing in the ideal candidate in the January transfer window. The Catalan giants are thus weighing up signing Neves in the winter. But Wolverhampton Wanderers have recently promoted the 25-year-old to the role of captain, which might become an obstacle for Barcelona.
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Signing a player of Neves’s stature in the January transfer window might be a tall order for Barcelona. They might also have Financial Fair Play restrictions to consider, so a winter move for the 25-year-old looks unlikely.
Barca have no money and are already selling the family silver just to register new signings so how are they going to afford the £110m needed to buy Neves?