Wolves are considering replacements for Ruben Neves as they expect to lose the Portuguese midfielder this summer.
Neves, 25, has been linked recurringly with Manchester United in recent years but Arsenal and Barcelona are still the only clubs that have registered their concrete interest so far.
Neves's representatives, the Gestifute agency led by Jorge Mendes, would welcome an approach from United, who intend to sign a defensive midfielder in the summer. The Manchester Evening News revealed United have been working on a possible deal for Leeds United talisman Kalvin Phillips.
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Midfielder Nemanja Matic announced earlier this month he would leave United when his contract expires in June and interim manager Ralf Rangnick confirmed the club also expects Paul Pogba to depart.
Neves is contracted to Wolves until 2024 and coach Bruno Lage suggested he was worth £100million but sources have dismissed that as posturing and Wolves are expected to cash in for a lower fee.
Mendes recommended Sevilla coach Julen Lopetegui to United as far back as November and is scheduled to hold discussions with United about Cristiano Ronaldo's future at the end of the season. United will almost certainly not qualify for the Champions League and Ronaldo has played in the competition 20 seasons running. The five-times Champions League winner last played in the Europa League under its former guise of the Uefa Cup in 2002.
Neves has not played since March 18 due to a knee injury but has established himself as one of the most consistent midfield performers in the top flight over the last four years.
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 Neves 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.
