Soccer Football - Premier League - Wolverhampton Wanderers v Brighton & Hove Albion - Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton, Britain - April 30, 2022 Wolverhampton Wanderers' Ruben Neves during the warm up before the match Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club /league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details.
Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves is considered a backup option to Frenkie de Jong at Manchester United, should the Red Devils fail to sign the Dutchman this summer.
The Lowdown: Neves expected to leave Wolves
The 25-year-old has been an outstanding player for the Old Gold over the past five seasons, growing into arguably one of the Premier League‘s most creative central midfielders.
Neves looks likely to leave Wolves this summer, though, having appeared to be waving goodbye to supporters on the final day of the 2021/22 season and with numerous clubs circling for his signature.
United have been one of those linked with signing the Portuguese maestro in recent weeks, along with Barcelona, and some big news has emerged in that respect.
The Latest: United see Neves as transfer backup
According to talkSPORT, United see Neves as one of their backup options to bolster their midfield, should they fail to acquire De Jong from Barcelona.
Leicester City star Youri Tielemans is also considered a potential suitor as Erik ten Tag looks for a high-profile addition in the middle of the park.
The Verdict: Any chance of him staying?
With each passing week, there remains lingering hope that Neves could end up staying put at Wolves, even though that may feel like a pipe dream more than anything.
It still feels more likely that he will move on and join either Barcelona or United in order to kick on during the next phase in his career, with his peak years potentially ahead of him.
Should that be the case, it is imperative that Wolves quickly find an adequate replacement for Neves, in order for his exit to be as seamless and undamaging as possible.
From a Molineux perspective, a lot could hinge on whether United can land their primary midfield target in De Jong.
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