Manchester United and Liverpool are thought to be leading Barcelona in the race to sign Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves, Football Insider report.
The Lowdown: Midfielder wanted
The Red Devils have been hit with a midfield shortage at points during the current campaign, with Donny van de Beek and Christian Eriksen spending months on the sidelines through injury.
Erik ten Hag decided to bring in Marcel Sabitzer on loan from Bayern Munich late in the January window, something which has proven to be a shrewd move. The Austrian has made nine appearances for United, scoring his first goal in the FA Cup quarter-final win over Fulham on Sunday.
Star midfielder Casemiro has also received two Premier League red cards in 2023 to add to the club’s midfield woes, with a new midfielder thought to be a transfer priority at Old Trafford over the coming months alongside a forward.
The Latest: Neves update
Football Insider reporter Pete O’Rourke shared a transfer update regarding news in the last 48 hours.
He claimed that the Red Devils and Liverpool are leading Barcelona in the race for Neves’ services, with the player ready to quit Molineux at the end of the season.
Wolves are not likely to stand in the way of a potential exit, with United considering making an offer with Sabizter set to return to Bayern and Scott McTominay potentially in line to leave.
The Verdict: Smart move?
Neves, dubbed a ‘beast’ by journalist Jimmy Conrad, is only under contract until 2024, so there could be scope for a potential cut-price transfer after they placed a whopping £100m price tag on the 26-year-old just last year.
The Portugal international can play as a defensive or central midfielder and is known for scoring long-range goals in the Midlands, making 169 appearances in the Premier League.
Journalist Raj Chohan has previously lauded the midfielder as having the ability to be a 'top fit as a defensive midfielder at an elite side', while he has also branded him an 'unbelievable technician'.
Neves has been Wolves’ top performer in what has been a struggle this season, as per WhoScored, recording a match average rating of 7.00/10, a better score than United midfielders Eriksen, Sabitzer, Fred and McTominay.
Therefore, you could say that a move to Old Trafford would be a wise one by Ten Hag as he looks to strengthen his squad ahead of his second season in charge, and it looks as if it could materialise following this update.