Barcelona in contention to sign €100 million-rated Premier League midfielder

According to a report from Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst, Ruben Neves is preparing for a potential exit from Wolverhampton Wanderers in the summer.

After almost five years at Wolves, Neves is ready to take the next step in his career, with FC Barcelona and Manchester United being cited as potential destinations.

During his time at Molineux, the Portuguese international has racked up over 200 competitive appearances for Wolves, firmly establishing himself as one of the best holding midfielders in the Premier League.

Manchester United have been eyeing a move for Neves for quite some time now. But they are yet to reach out to his representative over a potential move in the summer. It could bode well for the Barcelona side hoping to secure the player’s services next season.

Neves is represented by the Gestifute agency which is spearheaded by Jorge Mendes. The Portuguese super-agent is expected to play a key role in facilitating the transfer of various Barcelona targets in the summer, including Atletico Madrid’s Joao Felix.

Barça’s interest in the Ruben Neves, meanwhile, stems from the club’s desperate need for a new holding midfielder. While Sergio Busquets has been doing an excellent job under Xavi, the veteran is already in the final phase of his career and cannot remain a long-term solution.

Neves could establish himself quite easily at Camp Nou, as the deputy for the ageing Busquets before eventually replacing the Spaniard in one or two years’ time.

However, it remains to be seen whether Barcelona are in a position to afford the Portuguese international, who is expected to cost a fortune as his current contract at Molineux doesn’t expire until 2024.

It will be interesting to see if Barcelona are willing to sacrifice one or two players in order to lower the price tag, with Francisco Trincao, currently on loan at Molineux, more than likely to enter the operation.

Player valuation in title obtained from transfermarkt.com on date of publication.