Wolves manager Bruno Lage has claimed that Ruben Neves is worth £100million. The midfielder has long been linked with a move to Arsenal and Manchester United, but if the Portuguese's words are anything to go by, the 25-year-old will not be cheap.
The Gunners will be on the hunt for at least one midfielder this summer after it being made clear that Mikel Arteta's side are lacking depth in the position. Plenty of names have been linked, and Neves is someone who fits the bill.
According to Sky Sports News, Wolves are expected to demand between £50million and £60million for Neves, who has two years left on his deal. The report adds that Barcelona have shown a stark interest, but the Gunners also want to bring him to the Emirates Stadium.
If those claims are true, Arsenal would be getting a '£100million' player for considerably less money. That's because Neves' current manager, Lage, thinks that his player should be valued at around that figure: "I don’t know if it’s Man United or other teams, what I know is we have a special player here with us," Lage said ahead of his side’s Premier League visit to Newcastle on Friday, as cited by football365. "What he is doing this season is very good. I think also the way we play, he can show a better Ruben, and also the way he plays puts our team on a different level.
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"When you have that player, the best thing to do is improve his salary and years of contract. But who knows, when you have a top player like him in that specific position, that can defend and attack, and is a top professional and a great man, the big teams are there with £100million to buy these kinds of players."
Arsenal's Neves task has been made that little bit more difficult by the fact that the Wolves man criticised the Gunners for over-celebrating this season. But if they do manage to secure Champions League football in the summer, he may be tempted into thinking otherwise.
If that indeed is the case, Edu will have the chance to sign a player who is arguably Arteta's archetype midfielder. The Spaniard wants a new long-term partner for Thomas Partey and Martin Odegaard in midfield, especially with Granit Xhaka's future at the Emirates unclear beyond the summer given there is still interest from Jose Mourinho at Roma.
It feels as though it's the start of a potential transfer saga. We'll just have to wait and see what happens.
