Rúben Neves is seeking a return to the Premier League in next month’s transfer window putting a number of clubs, including Manchester United and Newcastle United, on alert.
The 28-year-old Portugual international is sure to be one of the most sought after players when the window reopens on January 1, after turning down the chance of signing a new contract with his Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal.
The Saudis have carried out a round of new contract negotiations with their foreign stars, but Neves has resisted their overtures and is adamant he will leave.
Al-Hilal are resigned to losing him as a free agent in the summer and are exploring the option of bringing that exit forward to January, to recoup some of the £47million they paid Wolverhampton Wanderers in the summer of 2023.
A figure of £18million has been mentioned but, in the circumstances, and with buying clubs holding such an advantage, a figure well below that may be sufficient to secure Neves, who has 63 caps for Portugal and will hope to be a part of their World Cup squad next summer.
His reputation as a proven Premier League defensive midfielder, and his relatively modest fee, make him an attractive proposition and his former Wolves manager Nuno Espírito Santo’s club West Ham United have also been linked as potential suitors.
But, given Neves’s success and durability in his six productive seasons at Molineux — in which he made 253 appearances, scoring 30 goals — he is likely to attract interest from clubs higher up the Premier League.
United, where his countryman Ruben Amorim is struggling with midfield issues, would be an obvious destination. Given his profile, Neves would be able to slot straight into the first team next month — a “plug and play” transfer option, to use United’s own vernacular.
Amorim has shown little to no faith in Kobbie Mainoo or Manuel Ugarte as defensive midfielders, leaving the 33-year-old Brazilian Casemiro as his only real option in that position, even though he is routinely substituted after an hour.
United may yet allow Mainoo to leave the club on loan next month. The 20-year-old academy product has played only 221 minutes of first-team football all season. This would make a January midfield signing all the more imperative.