La Liga heavyweights Barcelona are reportedly one step closer to landing Ruben Neves after agreeing to a fee with Wolverhampton Wanderers.
According to a report by Spanish publication SPORT, Ruben Neves is the likeliest midfielder to join Barcelona in 2023. The Catalan giants have an agreement on the salary with the 25-year-old midfielder and the transfer structure with Premier League outfit Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Ruben Neves has gradually established himself as one of the best midfielders in the Premier League since joining Wolverhampton Wanderers. A mainstay in the middle of the park for the Midlands outfit, the Portuguese international is now one of the captains for the club.
The 25-year-old has made 224 appearances thus far for Wolverhampton Wanderers, chipping in with 26 goals and 12 assists. But Neves’s future at the Molineux is up in the air, with Barcelona keen on signing him in 2023. And with the player having a little over 18 months on his deal, the Black Country giants are in a spot of bother.
Barcelona will look to move Sergio Busquets on in the 2023 summer transfer window. With the veteran midfielder showing signs of regression, the need to lay down a succession plan is urgent. Several midfielders, including Andrey Santos, have emerged on Barcelona’s radar over a move next year.
Martin Zubimendi was one of the initial priorities for the Blaugrana, but the Spaniard is not leaving Real Sociedad anytime soon. So Neves has become the top target for Barcelona in the last few weeks. And recent reports have claimed that the talks to complete a deal for the 25-year-old are advancing.
Contact between Barcelona and Neves has also intensified, and the player is keen on moving to Camp Nou. And according to SPORT, Barcelona and Neves have agreed to the wages, with the Catalan giants also having a consensus on the transfer structure with Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The likeliest deal will see Neves join Barcelona on an initial loan in January before completing a permanent transfer. But Barcelona will need to balance the books before bringing in the 25-year-old. Selling Frenkie de Jong might thus become a hot topic in the market again in the coming weeks.
