Manchester United have been handed a potential boost in their pursuit of signing Ruben Neves this summer.
This is after The Sun revealed Wolves are closing in on a deal to sign Sporting Lisbon midfielder Palhinha. The Primeira Liga star has been linked with a move to United in the past and he was reportedly waiting until after his Nations League matches with Portugal in case he got an offer from the Red Devils.
However, United have cooled their interest in the 26-year-old and a source claimed Wolves have agreed to sign the player, with the move expected to be completed in the coming days. It is understood the fee is believed to be in the region of £20million with super-agent Jorge Mendes leading the negotiations.
Palhinha has been a target for Bruno Lage over the past couple of seasons and the manager views him as an ideal fit if Neves decides to depart the club in the summer. Neves has been backed to join the Red Devils, who are keen to add at least two midfielders to their squad in the off-season.
United have tried to sign Neves in recent transfer windows but they were unable to agree a deal and the Portugal midfielder stayed put at Molineux. Neves has made over 200 appearances for the club since joining from Porto in 2017 and has since helped them win promotion to the Premier League and secure back-to-back seventh place finishes in the process.
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But the signing of Palhinha could open the door for compatriot Neves to leave with the Red Devils on a high alert. Erik ten Hag is a keen admirer of the player, who has also featured 26 times for Portugal. The Dutch manager is hoping to add an attack-minded and a more defensive-focused midfielder to his ranks ahead of the new season.
Wolves technical director Scott Sellars discussed Neves' future earlier this week and has admitted the club have got to be "realistic" about the situation. United are set to compete in the Europa League next season and will be hoping to break back into the top four after slumping to sixth during a turbulent campaign.
"The ideal situation is we want him to stay," Sellars told the club's media, as per the BBC. "But I’m also realistic that when you’ve got an outstanding player then the top clubs are going to come and try to see what the situation is."
