Manchester United are reportedly prioritising signing Al-Hilal star Ruben Neves in January, as per Spanish outlet Fichajes.
The 28-year-old came into the spotlight after displaying impressive performances for Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League. Following that, he attracted a lot of attention from several big English clubs.
The Red Devils and Arsenal were linked with a move for him before Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal won the race to secure his services a couple of years ago.
Despite moving to the Middle East, the midfielder has continued to play a key role for the Portugal national team, and he helped his country win against Hungary during this international break.
Now, Fichajes state that Man Utd are contemplating purchasing a new midfielder in January to help Ruben Amorim qualify for the Champions League and have identified Neves as the ‘priority’ target.
The Portuguese would be open to returning to the Premier League and playing alongside his compatriot Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot. Moreover, Amorim is also Portuguese, and the player is prepared to play under him.
Neves to Man Utd
However, Al-Hilal have no intention of letting their star man leave just yet, so finding an agreement to seal the deal in mid-season would be extremely difficult for United.
Neves is valued at around £22m by Transfermarkt, and has entered the final year of his current contract. So, United would have to buy him by paying a significant transfer fee.
Neves is a defensive midfielder by trait, but can provide cover in the centre-back position if needed. He has an eye for scoring goals from distance, is efficient in taking set pieces, and can also play long passes from deep.
With Casemiro set to leave upon the expiration of his current contract at the end of this season, United need a new midfielder to replace the Brazilian.
Neves is a Premier League-proven player and might be a shrewd acquisition for United should they purchase him. However, it wouldn’t be easy for him to adapt to the intensity of the English top flight straight away after playing a few years in Saudi Arabia.
It is going to be interesting to see whether the Old Trafford club eventually make a concrete approach to secure his services in January.
