Manchester United and Arsenal could potentially be set to be handed a huge blow to their hopes of signing Wolverhampton Wanderers’ midfielder Ruben Neves by super agent Jorge Mendes.
The Portuguese playmaker has been linked with switches to both Old Trafford and the Emirates Stadium following his impressive form for the Black Country outfit over the past few seasons. Having arrived from Porto in 2017, Neves was a key player in the side that earned promotion to the Premier League, whilst he was also pivotal as Wolves reached the 2020 Europa League quarter-finals - their run eventually being ended by Spanish outfit Sevilla.
The Premier League duo are expected to face plenty of competition as they attempt to secure Neves’ services in the near future though. Barcelona are also thought to be planning a move for the 25-year-old as they attempt an overhaul of their current squad at the Camp Nou.
According to Spanish outlet Sport, agent Jorge Mendes has been offering his client’s services for some time to the Catalan giants. Whilst Barcelona could not facilitate a move in the January market due to their tricky financial situation, the club are now studying the prospect of a swoop once more.
As per the reports, Barcelona are prioritising other positions within Xavi’s squad but do admire Neves following his performances at Molineux. One aspect that could see a move inch towards completion could be the agent’s relationship with both clubs.
A number of Mendes’ current clients have arrived in the Midlands over the past few seasons - whilst he has also managed to facilitate moves between the two clubs recently. Nelson Semedo signed for Wolves in the summer of 2020, with Adama Traore going in the opposite direction in January on a loan deal until the end of the current campaign.
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Should he use those links once more, Mendes could well hand a considerable blow to both United and Arsenal. The Red Devils will likely bolster their midfield this season with Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic set to depart this summer.
Elsewhere, the Gunners are also set to wave goodbye to Mohamed Elneny and could dip their hands into the midfielder market. There is uncertainty over Granit Xhaka ’s long-term future in north London after a failed move to AS Roma last summer.
Neves, who has won 26 caps for Portugal, has made 31 appearances for Wolves so far this season. In that time, he has scored four goals but has missed the last three matches with a knee injury.
He currently has just over two years left to run on his contract with Wolves but the Midlands outfit are keen to tie him down to a new deal amid the continued interest in his signature. As of now though, Neves is yet to commit his future to his current employers. He already has begun a feud with Arsenal having complained at the Gunners' celebrations after their 1-0 win at Molineux in mid-February.
