According to Record (page 25), Manchester United have a clear opportunity to sign Al-Hilal midfielder Ruben Neves with Real Madrid out of the running for his signature.
The Red Devils are keen on bolstering their midfield department this winter and Neves has been earmarked as a top target. The club have now received a boost with Madrid pulling out of the pursuit.
Los Blancos were touted to make a winter swoop for the Portuguese midfielder, but president Florentino Perez has decided against making any mid-season additions to the squad with no permanent manager at the helm.
Neves’ contract expires at the end of the campaign, but Madrid have no plans of paying a fee. This has put United in the front seat as they would be willing to pay £17 million to land the 28-year-old.
Top-class
Neves was one of the stand-out defensive midfielders during his time at Wolverhampton Wanderers. He was touted to join the Red Devils at one point in 2023, but ended up signing for Al-Hilal for £47 million.
Al-Hilal are now assessing Neves’ future, and could be prepared to offload him this winter if he does not renew. There could be a late exit before the transfer deadline if they can’t convince him to accept fresh terms.
United have been credited with an interest in his services, but it won’t be a surprise if an approach is made in the coming days.
Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte are the frontline defensive midfielders for the Mancunian giants, but the latter has struggled for playing time and has been pretty inconsistent over the course of the ongoing season. His positioning has come under scrutiny in several matches.
Casemiro, who will leave United this summer, has put in several standout displays from the no.6 role, but he is no longer in his prime at 33 and does not have the fitness levels to play the full 90 minutes. United need more quality and depth to push for Champions League qualification via a top-4 or top-5 league finish.
Neves would be a top-class acquisition for the Red Devils. He could seamlessly adapt, having played for several seasons in the English top-flight with Wolves. He could operate in a defensive or central midfield role.
His strong defensive attributes combined with his creativity would make him a perfect addition to the United ranks. Despite his contract expiring this summer, he would represent a bargain signing at £17 million.
