Premier League manager addresses the future of ‘fantastic’ midfielder amid Barcelona links

Ruben Neves has dominated the headlines at Barcelona recently, with rumours swirling over his potential move to Camp Nou at the end of the season.

Some reports even suggest that the Catalans have ‘practically sealed’ the signing the Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder, who is reportedly seen as a direct replacement for Sergio Busquets.

However, in a recent presser, Wolves manager Julen Lopetegui denied any reports of Neves’ move to Barça, and refused to entertain anything regarding the midfielder’s future at Molineux.

“I understand your interest in the market but you must understand that we are only interested in tomorrow’s game,” Lopetegui told the media ahead of Wolves’ game against Liverpool in the FA Cup (h/t Mundo Deportivo).

The former Real Madrid boss went on to assure that Neves will remain at Molineux despite recent links to Barcelona. “I have said many times that Ruben Neves is a fantastic player. He is a Wolves player and will continue to be a Wolves player,” he said.

“You can ask me a hundred times and I will answer the same thing a hundred times. We are focused on the Cup, which is a very important competition in England,” Lopetegui added.

The comments from the Wolves manager should serve as a major blow for Barcelona fans, but perhaps not so much for coach Xavi Hernandez. As per reports, the Barça manager was not on board with the idea of signing Neves as the replacement for Busquets.

The potential arrival of the Portuguese international, therefore, could lead to the signing of one more defensive midfielder or the contract extension of Busquets, who is yet to decide his future despite offers from the MLS.

However, it is fair to point out that Neves’ links to Barcelona are unlikely to die down anytime soon. The former FC Porto midfielder’s contract at Wolves expires in 2024 and he remains one of the top options for Barça in their bid to reinforce their ranks in the middle of the park.