In a recent interview with TuttoMercatoWeb (translated by Birmingham Mail), Wolverhampton Wanderers head of recruitment John Marshall revealed that Ruben Neves is not available for a transfer when he said, “Without a doubt, he is a real top player.
“We are aware of the fact that so many top clubs follow him around Europe but we are focusing on him. He is not for sale.”
Neves’ Growing Reputation In European Football
The Portuguese midfielder has been tracked by several top European clubs including Real Madrid. El Desmarque reported last month that Los Blancos were considering a move for Neves. Hence, Wolves’ latest stance will be a bitter pill to swallow for the Galacticos as they continue to rebuild under Zinedine Zidane.
Neves has made a bright start to this campaign and showed the world what he is capable of by putting in a match-winning display against Aston Villa in the West Midlands derby last weekend. The Portugal international managed to find the back of the net with a stunning strike against the Villans that will live long in the memories of the Wolves supporters.
What Makes The Portuguese Sensation Such A Special Talent?
The 22-year-old has netted three goals and created one assist in 20 appearances for Nuno Esperito Santo’s side this term across all competitions. He has formed a productive midfield partnership with Joao Moutinho and Leander Dedoncker at the Molineux Stadium. The Portuguese rising star is averaging 1.3 tackles, 1.4 interceptions and 1.6 clearances per match this season with an impressive pass success rate of 79.7% (stats via whoscored).
Neves is an excellent distributor of the ball and can be a disruptive presence at the middle of the park. He is not shy of getting stuck in with a few tackles and come away with the ball to launch counter-attacks. At 22, the Portugal international is only getting better with each season.
What Should Be Zidane’s Play?
The Galacticos would have benefitted from acquiring a player of Neves’ talents as he has the potential to be a world-class playmaker someday. However, Wolves’ stance to not sell him will make it difficult for Zidane to get any deal over the line. The French head coach will be better off concentrating on recruiting a player like Napoli’s Fabian Ruiz who would be a complete option at the centre of the pitch.
