Arsenal and Barcelona are interested in signing Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves.
Neves, 25, has been recurringly linked with Manchester United in the last four years but the club is yet to register their interest with the Portugal international's representatives.
Neves is contracted to Wolves until 2024 and coach Bruno Lage suggested he was worth £100million but Wolves could cash in on Neves if he is unwilling to sign a new contract.
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Midfield is the priority for United in the summer transfer window and they are already working on a potential deal for Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips. The likelihood of no Champions League football next season would restrict United's ability to target players with a higher profile.
Neves is represented by the Gestifute agency led by Jorge Mendes, who recommended Sevilla coach Julen Lopetegui to United as far back as November. Although Lopetegui was ostensibly on United's shortlist, he was never a serious candidate.
It has not gone unnoticed at United speculation surrounding them and Neves intensified this season after they played Wolves in August and January, even though the club had no intention of moving for the former Porto midfielder in either window.
Neves was first linked with United after helping Wolves to promotion to the Premier League in 2018, primarily due to the presence of his compatriot Jose Mourinho at United.
United have been particularly irritated by speculation regarding certain players based in, or from, Portugal dating back to the incessant rumours regarding the former Benfica winger Nicolas Gaitan.
Although United tired of reports about Victor Lindelof midway through the 2016-17 season, they signed the centre-back from Benfica in June 2017. United were also irate at the coverage in the Portuguese media about their interest in Bruno Fernandes in the summer of 2019.
United had no intention of moving for Fernandes in the summer window and were convinced Sporting Lisbon were using United to whip up an auction. Tottenham soon sent two intermediaries to Lisbon to gauge the possibility of a deal for Fernandes in August 2019 and he joined United five months later.
