Chelsea have reportedly been handed an opportunity to sign Manchester United target Ruben Neves, as per TEAMtalk.
On paper, the Blues have a deep midfield department as they already have Moisés Caicedo, Enzo Fernández, Romeo Lavia, Dario Essugo, and Andrey Santos.
However, Lavia has struggled to stay fit since joining from Southampton, while Essugo has just recovered from a lengthy thigh injury and hasn’t made any appearances thus far this season. Santos, on the other hand, is still young and needs time to develop.
The Brazilian failed to break into former manager Enzo Maresca’s starting line-up but started in both cup fixtures under new manager Liam Rosenior. Therefore, Caicedo and Fernandez have been taking on enormous workloads this season.
Now, TEAMtalk claim that Chelsea are planning to back Rosenior in this winter window and are willing to sign a new midfielder to support Caicedo and Fernandez during the second half of this season.
With Neves open to returning to the Premier League following a few years in Saudi Arabia, his entourage have offered Chelsea to sign the Portuguese.
Man Utd are also looking to reinforce the engine room this month to help new interim manager Michael Carrick and have identified Neves as a serious option.
Battle
However, the report state that Chelsea are unsure whether Neves would be the right option to play in Rosenior’s system. So, they might not make a move for him before the February 2nd transfer deadline, meaning United could get a clear pathway to seal the deal should they make a concrete approach.
Neves is a defensive midfielder by trait, but has also played in the centre-back position in Simone Inzaghi’s back three system at Al-Hilal.
Despite moving to the Middle East, Neves continues to play a key role for the Portuguese national team. The 28-year-old is an experienced player and previously showcased his qualities in the Premier League during his time with Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Therefore, he might be a shrewd acquisition for Man Utd or Chelsea should either club secure his services. It is going to be interesting to see where the midfielder goes if he eventually leaves Al-Hilal in this winter transfer window.
