Ruben Neves will become the first Premier League player to make a big money move to Saudi Arabia this summer.
The Wolves captain is heading for Al Hilal in a £47million switch, with a deal due to be completed when he finishes on international duty with Portugal. Al Hilal are newly minted after being one of the four Saudi clubs taken over by the country's Public Investment Fund - also owners of Newcastle United - in recent weeks.
The switch will bring to an end Neves' six-year stint at Molineux, having joined from Porto in 2017 for £16million, with Wanderers now pocketing a major profit on a player who has just one year left on his contract.
After saying his goodbyes to fans at Molineux on the penultimate weekend of last season, after 253 appearances and 30 goals in old gold, Neves is finally set for pastures new.
But why is a player who has starred in the Premier League, with a contract running down, an agent as connected as Jorge Mendes and reported interest from Barcelona, following Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema and heading to the Saudi Pro League at the age of just 26?
Is it merely all about the money?
Why are Wolves selling?
His departure will ease some of the financial fair play issues at Molineux which had put Julen Lopetegui's future at the club in question.
The Spaniard confirmed he would be staying in the Black Country last week, but only after heading back to his homeland to contemplate his future and the prospect of walking away.
The ex-Real Madrid and Sevilla boss did a tremendous job to keep Wolves up after taking over with the side bottom of the table. But Lopetegui spent in excess of £75million in January, money that hadn't been budgeted for last term. Ultimately that money had to come from somewhere, and according to the club's sporting director Matt Hobbs, they find themselves working "within FFP limitations" this summer.
As such, the big money exit of Neves - their most valuable asset - will ease the financial burden that the club is under and allow the Lopetegui-Hobbs double act greater wriggle room from which to further overhaul the squad.
Despite Joao Moutinho having also already departed this summer, Lopetegui is happy with his central midfield options in the deep position Neves usually occupies; Mario Lemina, Joao Gomes, Boubacar Traore, Matheus Nunes and Joe Hodge are all in situ. The focus will now be on bringing in a player who can offer a goal threat arriving in opposition penalty boxes from a central midfield berth.
But isn't Neves Wolves' best player?
Certainly. The wonderkid that arrived at the age of 20 has matured and was the dressing room leader last term, following Conor Coady's loan move to Everton. During a difficult campaign, in which they were dire pre-World Cup and much improved post-Qatar - ultimately finishing 13th - he was Wolves' best player. He will go down as a modern-day club legend.
However, while Neves has loved his time at the club, after six years he wanted to make a forward step in his career, namely to play in the Champions League. He admitted in May after what was ultimately his final match at Molineux, a 1-1 draw with Everton: “I want to be here but I never hide that I want to play Champions League football.
"It’s a hard decision. Me and my family love it here, but in football you have to go for your main goals. If it was my last game here I really enjoyed it and I’m very thankful for the last six seasons.”
Club chiefs wanted to give him that and with one year left on his deal were happy to cash in for the right fee. There is a good relationship between Neves and those at the top of the club, and, interestingly, had he still been at Wolves at the start of next season, a new contract, on improved terms, would have been signed - something which has helped them negotiate a club record fee.
So why isn't it a Champions League club?
Simply, because Al Hilal's bid is the only offer that has appeared at Wolves' door.
For the third successive summer, Wolves haven't had a major Premier League or European offer. In 2021 he was offered around by his agency, Gestifute, with Wolves owners Fosun willing to cash in, but there were no takers and 12 months ago there was again no worthwhile bid forthcoming.
While Neves is unquestionably talented, deemed in some quarters as a 'Champions League calibre' performer and has been monitored by a number of Europe's elite, none have ever decided to make a serious move. A number of clubs have liked him in the past and a it's understood some had him on their midfield shortlists this summer too.
But he has never been the No.1 choice, instead always lower down the pecking order and a guy they'd perhaps turn to if they couldn't get their top targets. This summer is set to be dominated by high-profile midfielders making moves - kicked off already by England sensation Jude Bellingham, whose £87million move to Real Madrid was revealed initially by Mirror Sport last month - but while the likes of Arsenal, Newcastle, Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona, plus others, are all looking to make moves in that area, Neves wasn't at the top of any of their lists.
What happened to Barcelona?
Neves had been keen to fulfil a boyhood dream and move to Barcelona this summer. That was his No.1 choice and his agent, Jorge Mendes, had attempted to broker a deal with Camp Nou chiefs to take his client to Catalunya.
But Barcelona's much publicised financial issues made a deal for Neves to replace outgoing club legend Sergio Busquets a non-starter. The Blaugrana simply aren't in a position to spend big money right now, particularly on a player who isn't their first choice - Manchester City's Ilkay Gundogan is the midfielder they want - and who, in all likelihood, would be back up to the current trio in situ, Gavi, Pedri and Frenkie de Jong.
There was also the issue that Barca head coach Xavi Hernandez has never had Neves down as one of the players that he particularly wanted despite the ongoing speculation. He prefers to keep the aforementioned trio plus carry on working with Frank Kessie, the Ivory Coast midfielder who joined on a free transfer from AC Milan last summer.
That left Neves without the move he wanted most, leaving both he and Wolves in limbo yet again.... until the Saudi offer was presented to the Wanderers captain.
So Saudi > limbo?
Certainly for Wolves. This deal arrived last week and gives them everything they want in terms of the fee and, just as crucially, it gets it done early and allows them to move forwards with their summer plans, while, so mentioned, easing their FFP issues.
For Neves, it appears so too. He's said to be excited by taking on a different challenge, has spoken to Ronaldo while on international duty - like his international teammate, he'll be based in Riyadh - about the league and the lifestyle he and his family will have.
And, let's make no mistake, Neves will be getting paid very, very well, far more than he was making at Wolves. Neves is likely to receive in excess of £300k-per-week UNTAXED; had a Premier League side been in for him and looked to match such a figure, they would have had to commit to putting over £600k-a-week on their books.
And why now?
The country's sovereign wealth fund, which already owns Newcastle United and has now become all powerful in golf following the merger of the PGA Tour and the LIV rebels, has taken control of four of its top clubs: Al Hilal, Al Ahli, Al Ittihad and Al Nassr.
The privatisation plan has been spearheaded by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and is seen as key as the kingdom looks to increase league revenues fourfold by 2030 - part of the country’s ‘Vision 2030’ project, which also involves an attempt to host that year's World Cup - with the Saudi state news agency, SPA, also declaring: “The Saudi Pro League… will be supported in its ambition to be amongst the top 10 leagues in the world."
That means spending big on world stars like Ronaldo, at Al Nassr since January, and Benzema, who recently quit Real Madrid for Al Ittihad. Others, like Chelsea trio N'Golo Kante, Kalidou Koulibaly and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, are expected to join, as could ex-Barcelona pair Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets.
All will be paid huge wages as Saudi Arabia looks to use football and its financial power to enhance the country's global reputation. Neves is somewhat unique, in that he moves with his career still yet to reach its apex, while his transfer fee is itself a new record for the Saudi league.
